The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), on Monday issued a sharp condemnation of the government’s decision to include MJ Akbar in a high-level, all-party delegation tasked with international engagement in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. The organisation has called for Akbar’s immediate withdrawal, citing his history of serious sexual harassment allegations.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 2025, was framed as both a strategic military response and a symbolic tribute to Indian women’s resilience, following the devastating Pahalgam attack on April 22, which left many women widowed. The mission has been publicly pitched as defending the “honour and dignity” of Indian women.
However, NWMI argues that the inclusion of MJ Akbar—former Union Minister and veteran journalist who faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct during India’s #MeToo movement—undermines the very principles Operation Sindoor claims to uphold.
“Akbar’s presence in this delegation risks sending a deeply regressive signal to survivors of sexual harassment and weakens India’s global credibility on gender justice,” NWMI stated in a press release. “This is especially troubling given the mission’s stated objective of honouring women’s dignity.”
Over 20 women, most of them journalists, came forward in 2018, accusing Akbar of sexual harassment, predatory behaviour, and assault, spanning several decades. These allegations were substantiated with detailed accounts, prompting a national conversation on workplace safety and gendered power dynamics in Indian media and politics.
In 2021, Akbar lost a defamation suit he had filed against one of his accusers, journalist Priya Ramani. The court’s verdict, which upheld Ramani’s right to speak her truth in the public interest, was seen as a landmark moment for women’s rights in India.
NWMI’s statement calls for the government to withdraw Akbar from the delegation, emphasising that India’s international representatives must “truly reflect the values of dignity, respect, and justice for women.”
There has been no official response from the Ministry of External Affairs or the delegation leadership regarding the protest. The controversy has sparked fresh debate over accountability and the optics of global diplomacy at a time when India seeks to project itself as a leader in gender equity.
