M J Akbar stepped down as junior external affairs minister on Wednesday, the proverbial centre of India's darkening #MeToo storm and the first high-profile head to roll in the movement that has banded diverse women against the spectrum of sexual misconduct ending in rape.
The 67-year-old journalist-politician's resignation as minister of state for external affairs comes a day ahead of the hearing of his criminal defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani at Delhi's Patiala House court.
Akbar, who was in Nigeria when the allegations against him surfaced, said he would continue to fight the case in a personal capacity.
"Since I have decided to seek justice in a court of law in my personal capacity, I deem it appropriate to step down from office and challenge false accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity. I have, therefore, tendered my resignation...," he said.
Akbar is perhaps the first minister to resign following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
His resignation is also being seen as the biggest victory of the cathartic #MeToo movement, which started with a trickle in Bollywood with Tanushree Dutta's accusations against actor Nana Patekar in the last week of September and opened the floodgates with women 'outing' directors, journalists, actors and others on social media.
Akbar's intensely debated move comes after more than 16 women journalists spoke out over the last 10 days to narrate their experiences of alleged sexual harassment and molestation during his years as the celebrated editor of several publications.
According to sources, there was a view in the government that the minister should fight the case in his personal capacity and not as a Union minister.
Ramani, who was the first to call him out by name for his allegedly predatory behaviour, said on Twitter, "As women, we feel vindicated by MJ Akbar's resignation. I look forward to the day when I will also get justice. #MeToo."
The defamation case filed two days ago led more women and some men too to come forward in their defence of Ramani and others. On Tuesday night, 20 journalists, who had worked at The Asian Age during Akbar's tenure, issued a joint statement against him.
"Though the step should have been taken as soon as he landed in Delhi, now at least, there will not be a power imbalance and it will not be a fight between the government and Ramani," Suparna Sharma, The Asian Age resident editor, told PTI.
Women activists such as Kavita Krishnan and Ranjana Kumari welcomed Akbar's resignation, calling it much-awaited news.
Ripples were felt in the political sphere too.
"The resignation of MoS External Affairs MJ Akbar after serious charges were levelled against him by senior women journalists who worked with him is a vindication of the power of truth even if it began with one brave person speaking up," Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
The Aam Aadmi Party called for criminal proceedings against Akbar.
"Mere resignation by Akbar is not sufficient considering the gravity of allegations against him," AAP's Dilip Pandey told PTI.
As the #MeToo juggernaut gathered pace in its India chapter, the government is mulling the formation of group of ministers to look into the lacunae in law on sexual harassment, a government source said Wednesday.
The proposal comes days after Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi proposed a legal panel to look into the legal and institutional framework to handle handling complaints of sexual harassment.
In Bollywood, where it all started, composer Annu Malik was accused by singer Shweta Pandit of being a "pedophile and sexual predator".
In a lengthy post on Twitter, she said he misbehaved with her when she was a greenhorn in the industry.
Malik denied the claim as "ridiculous" and told PTI, "I don't want to talk about it. Today anyone says anything."
Writer-director Vinta Nanda, who accused character actor Alok Nath of sexual intimidation and rape in an explosive Facebook post, submitted a complaint against him at a police station in Mumbai. Police said they are yet to register an FIR in the case.
"It was not easy for me to give my statement as it is like reliving your pain," Nanda said.
Nath has refuted the allegations and filed a civil defamation suit against Nanda.
Filmmaker Vikas Bahl, accused of sexual assault by a former employee of the now dissolved Phantom Films, has also filed a defamation suit in the Bombay High Court against his former partners and friends Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane.
Hearing on his plea for interim direction was underway at the court Wednesday evening.
The art world was hit, too, when two women accused painter Jatin Das of sexual harassment Tuesday. Das has categorically denied the allegations.
The artist's daughter, actor-director Nandita Das, who is a vocal supporter of the movement, said she will continue to add her voice to #MeToo despite the allegations against her father.
With directors like Sajid Khan and Subhash Ghai facing allegations of sexual harassment, industry bodies have called for a safer working environment for women.
The Producers Guild of India Wednesday said it has made implementation of laws pertaining to sexual harassment mandatory. The Cine and TV Artists Association said it will be setting up committees.
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