It is for prime minister to take a call on Akbar: Subramanian Swamy
New Delhi, Oct 12: Describing the #MeToo movement as a "good development", Bharatiya Janata Party MP Subramanian Swamy Friday said it was for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a call on the fate of Union minister M J Akbar, who has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment.
"Since the prime minister has appointed him, it is the prime minister's call. I won't make a public statement on this. It is his (Modi's) call," Swamy said.
The Rajya Sabha member, however, added that allegations being levelled against Akbar date back to a time when he was an editor and before he became a minister.
"Whether to make him pay for it with his ministership, only the prime minister can decide. He is in charge of all the ministers, and he has to fix accountability," Swamy said.
Supporting the #MeToo movement, which has encouraged countless women to share their stories of sexual harassment from men, he said he saw it as a good development.
There can be a few cases of somebody being deliberately framed, but that happens with everything, he said, adding that people are falsely accused of murder as well.
"We should encourage women to speak up," he said.
On a visit abroad, Akbar has so far not made any public comment on the charges against him. The BJP has also refused to speak on the issue with party leaders saying it is for him to explain his position once he returns to India.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
