#MeToo: Maneka Gandhi breaks ranks with Modi govt, calls for an enquiry against MJ Akbar
“There must be investigation. Men in position of power often indulge in such acts,” said Maneka Gandhi, becoming the first government minister to react to allegations against Akbar.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi has called for an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Minister of State (MoS) External Affairs MJ Akbar, becoming the first government minister to do so.
“There must be an investigation. Men in position of power often indulge in such acts,” Maneka told a news channel, reacting to allegations levelled on the editor-turned-politician by at least two women journalists.
Maneka noted that women in India have so far been scared to speak up against such behaviour. “Now when women have gathered the courage to speak up, the allegations must be taken seriously,” she said.
Maneka, however, stopped short of calling for Akbar’s resignation.
She also reiterated her earlier stand that all sort of allegations of sexual misconduct must be investigated whenever they come to light, no matter how dated they are. “I even wrote to the Law Ministry to scrap the time frame clause in the law as far as sexual harassment allegations are concerned,” said Maneka.
So far, there hasn’t been any statement from the Prime Minister and other leading members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even as clamour for resignation of Akbar grows.
“Seriously so no code of conduct applies to central ministers in PMO India cabinet(.) How is Akbar a fit & proper person to represent India? #Metoo,” wrote a senior journalist on Twitter. The scribe was among two journalists who have accused Akbar of sexual misconduct during his time as editor of a leading English daily.
She later claimed that BJP President Amit Shah had asked all BJP spokespersons to not react on allegations against Akbar.
Amit Shah has instructed all Bjp spokies not to comment on @mjakbar #metooallegations. But how long can @PMOIndia dodge a decision? Akbar has zero base & is totally expendable. Still no action
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) October 9, 2018
The Editors Guild of India, the apex body of editorial leaders, has also demanded an investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct that are surfacing in different newsrooms, including against Akbar.
Editors Guild of India has issued a statement on the recent cases of alleged sexual harassment in the newsrooms. Please read the full text here: https://t.co/xrPM0vb2jKpic.twitter.com/vnKVzVWWik
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) October 9, 2018
Earlier in the day, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj refused to comment on accusations against Akbar at an event at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Sad to see a woman minister like @SushmaSwaraj refusing to even acknowledge a question on the serious sexual harassment allegations against @mjakbar . Well done to @Smita_Sharma for trying to get a response pic.twitter.com/rWbamLfSCr
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) October 9, 2018
Officials at the MEA, however, confided that Akbar must speak out on the allegations.
Courtesy: www.nationalheraldindia.com
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Indian vessel 'Jag Laadki' carrying over 80,000 MT crude oil reaches Gujarat's Mundra Port
Ahmedabad, Mar 18 (PTI): Indian-flagged tanker 'Jag Laadki', carrying around 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat on Wednesday amid the West Asia conflict, officials said.
A day earlier, LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' arrived at Vadinar port in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, another vessel - 'Shivalik' - carrying LPG docked at Mundra Port.
Adani Ports, which operates Mundra Port, said in a statement that the crude oil carried by Jag Laadki was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and loaded at Fujairah Port there.
"Measuring 274.19 metres in length overall and 50.04 metres in beam, the tanker boasts a deadweight tonnage of approximately 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes," it said.
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The tanker's arrival at the Mundra Port underscores the facility's critical role in handling substantial crude imports, it said.
"This delivery supports major refinery relies on such shipments to maintain operations and bolster India's energy security during supply disruptions in the region," Adani Ports added.
The port provided the safe berthing of the vessel and maritime coordination in safeguarding vital energy lifelines of India, it said.
Fujairah Port in UAE faced drone and missile attacks during the ongoing Israel-US and Iran war.
India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas and 60 per cent of LPG needs. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's retaliation, more than half of India's crude imports, about 30 per cent of gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG imports came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The conflict has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Gulf energy supplies. While India has partly offset crude supply disruptions by sourcing oil from countries including Russia, gas supplies have been curtailed to industrial users and LPG availability to commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants has been reduced.
