#MeToo: NSUI president Fairoz Khan quits after sexual harassment charges

On a day that two more women came out to allege sexual harassment at the hands of Union Minister M J Akbar from his time as a newspaper editor, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Chief Fairoz Khan quit from his post following charges of sexual harassment.

The NSUI is the students’ wing of the Congress party, and was under pressure to take demonstrative action against its chief in wake of the #MeToo campaign. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has accepted Khan’s resignation, party sources said.

Addressing a public rally in Sheopur, in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the Congress president said Narendra Modi government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao slogan has proved to be a hoax. Gandhi said questions have been raised against one of Modi’s ministers, while a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator in Uttar Pradesh is facing charges of rape, but the Prime Minister (PM) hasn’t uttered a word on the issue. He, however, didn’t name Akbar.

Over a dozen women have alleged sexual harassment by Akbar. The minister has rejected the allegations, and filed a criminal defamation against journalist Priya Ramani, one of the journalists to have accused him of sexual harassment.

On Tuesday, journalist Tushita Patel and businessperson Swati Gautam wrote about their experience. Patel alleged Akbar subjected her to sexual harassment in 1993, when she was working for the newspaper he edited.

NSUI National President Khan denied the charges against him, but submitted his resignation on Monday evening, saying he quit keeping in mind the party’s interests.  NSUI in-charge Ruchi Gupta had instituted a three-member committee to probe the allegation against Khan, which is yet to submit its report.

A party worker from Chhattisgarh had alleged that Khan had sexually harassed her, as well her sister and some other women activists of the students’ wing. The complaint was filed in June. She had met the Congress chief and other party leaders subsequently. The complainant had lodged a police complaint at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi in September. Khan hails from Jammu & Kashmir.

In an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Shiv Sena criticised the PM for allowing people accused of sexual harassment to continue in the Council of Ministers, and also Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government’s recent proposal of online sale and home delivery of liquor.

“The BJP (prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls) had promised food, clothing, and shelter to all and also to make a ‘moral country’. But people involved in misconduct towards women are in the Cabinet, while decisions are taken to encourage alcoholism,” the editorial stated. It, however, didn’t mention Akbar by name.