New Delhi: Union minister of state for tourism K Alphons said that #MeToo was a good movement as whatever inappropriate has taken place should come out in public domain, but cautioned against frivolous complaints by insincere people with an agenda.

He said M J Akbar’s resignation from the council of ministers in the wake of charges of sexual harassment against him would not affect the prospects of BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as the party had taken “prompt action”.

“People should be extremely careful when they raise an allegation. Yes, something inappropriate has taken place, it should be in public domain. There should not be any doubt about it, but I hope frivolous complaints are not raised by insincere people to fix people whom they do not like,” the tourism minister said.

The Minister, who was in the city to attend an interaction event organised by an NGO to support flood-hit people of Kerala, said there was no private life for politicians and they obviously have to be accountable.

“If we respect our freedom, I should respect others freedom. Isn’t it? How could anybody force oneself on somebody else? I think that is completely inappropriate. Whatever it is,” he said.

Replying to a question, Alphons said the government took “prompt action” in the case of Akbar.

“...no time was lost by the government in take action against the minister (Akbar). He had been abroad. You don’t sack a minister when he is abroad,” he said.

Akbar stepped down as minister of state for external affairs on October 17 in the backdrop of a spate of allegations of sexual harassment against him by several women journalists, including Priya Ramani.

He has filed a defamation case against Ramani, dismissing her charges as a “figment of imagination” and intended to “malign” his reputation.