Government Denies Role In Taliban Presser That Barred Women Journalists

The government on Saturday (11 October) clarified that it had no role in the Taliban press conference held in Delhi, where female journalists were excluded, drawing sharp criticism from political leaders and the media, reported India Today.

"The Ministry of External Affairs had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan foreign minister in Delhi," Official source were quoted as saying by India Today.

The event, addressed by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, featured only male journalists and sparked outrage over gender discrimination.

Photographs from the venue showed Taliban representatives speaking at an all-male gathering.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the exclusion, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X. “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,” she wrote. “If your recognition of women’s rights isn’t just a convenient posturing from one election to the other, then how has this insult to some of India’s most competent women been allowed in our country,” she added.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also criticised the move, saying, “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited).”

The press interaction followed meetings between Muttaqi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during which both sides discussed trade, humanitarian aid, and security cooperation.

Several journalists and social media users called the exclusion “unacceptable,” describing it as an affront to India’s democratic values.

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