PMO used derogatory language against #MeToo victims, rejected request to form committee  

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) allegedly shot down a proposal by Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi to constitute a four-member independent committee of retired judges to investigate allegations of sexual harassment emerging during the ongoing #MeToo movement.

The accusation against the Modi government has been made by journalist Abhisar Sharma, during a Youtube broadcast on Wednesday. Sharma reported that the PMO diluted Maneka Gandhi's proposal significantly and instead constituted a three-member team of cabinet ministers to look into sexual harassment charges.

The government committee reportedly comprises Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"How could a three-member committee of fellow MPs  be expected to carry out a fair and impartial probe?" questioned Sharma.

The ex-ABP News primetime anchor has allegedly claimed that "someone" from the PMO had reportedly called up Maneka to refuse her request, before allegations against Akbar first emerged.

"Why do you want to get into all this?" Maneka was reportedly asked by PMO.

"The PMO then expressed doubts over the credibility of women journalists alleging sexual harassment. The person also said that #MeToo was just confined to upper-end neighbourhoods in south Delhi and south Mumbai," claims Abishar Sharma.

The #MeToo movement, which has outed public figures in media, publishing and entertainment industries, has reportedly caused a wedge in the government, with the PMO not believed to be in favour of pursuing allegations of sexual harassment to have emerged over the last month.

The Prime Minister's silence on the allegations, even after the stepping down of cabinet colleague MJ Akbar, is being called out on social media and in public, and has taken a toll on his stated commitments towards women's safety in the past.

After Akbar's stepped down amid allegations of sexual harassment and indecent behaviour by at least 20 women journalists, the Congress dared an otherwise loquacious PM to speak up on the matter.

Maneka Gandhi has been lauded for becoming the first minister to speak up on sexual harassment allegations against Akbar, as she had demanded a probe into the matter while Akbar was yet to return from his overseas trip earlier this month.