Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has said the allegations of sexual harassment against anybody, including ministers, should be taken seriously as women are often scared to speak out.

Her reaction comes amid Union minister and former editor MJ Akbar facing serious allegations of sexual harassment during his stint as a journalist.

"There should be an investigation. Men who are in positions of power often do this. And it applies to the media as well as to politics or senior personnel in companies," Gandhi told news channel India Today TV when asked to comment on allegations against a "big" politician. 

She said when women have started talking, their allegations should be taken seriously.

"Women are scared to speak out because they think people would make fun of them and doubt their character but now when they are speaking out we should take action against each and every allegation," she said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday evaded questions whether the government will take any action against the Union minister.

The #MeToo movement has intensified in the country with more women recounting their experiences of sexual harassment in the entertainment and media industry. Union minister MJ Akbar and veteran actor Alok Nath are amongst those accused of sexaul assault.

Some women journalists have come out and accused Akbar, a former editor and now the Minister of State for External Affairs, of sexually harassing them during his stint as journalist. There was no reaction available from Akbar on these allegations against him.

The Congress has demanded a probe into allegations of sexual harassment against Akbar.

"It is an extremely serious matter and the minister concerned needs to speak up. Silence cannot be a way out. This matter should be investigated. We would like to hear from both the minister in question and the Prime Minister on this issue," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.

At a regular party briefing, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra was also asked a volley of questions on the issue but he declined to respond. 

He said his mandate was to speak on the specific issue of the Congress role in allegedly fomenting violence against migrants in Gujarat.

(With PTI inputs)