Opposition Criticizes Govt Over Taliban Exclusion of Women Journalists

Amid sharp criticism from opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the government clarified that it had no role in the press conference addressed by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Delhi on Friday.

Official sources from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “The Ministry of External Affairs had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan Foreign Minister in Delhi.”

The press conference, attended exclusively by male journalists, triggered widespread criticism over the Taliban’s gender-biased approach on Indian soil. Photographs from the event showed Taliban representatives addressing a men-only presser.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident, posting on X: “Mr. Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.” 

Slamming the PM over his Nari Shakti slogan for woman empowerment, the Leader of the Opposition added “In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti.”

Copngress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also posted on X, tagging the Prime Minister: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India. If your recognition of women’s rights isn’t just convenient posturing from one election to the other, how has this insult to some of India’s most competent women been allowed in our country, a country whose women are its backbone and pride?”

The press interaction followed meetings between Muttaqi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where the two leaders discussed bilateral trade, humanitarian assistance, and security cooperation.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra condemned the government, saying, “The government has dishonoured every single Indian woman by allowing the Taliban minister to exclude women journalists from the presser. Shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites.”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed the criticism: “(Tali) ban on female journalists in India. Shocking and unacceptable that the Government of India agreed to it, and that too in New Delhi on the eve of the International Day of the Girl Child.”

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