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Oppn slams govt over women journalists' absence from Afghan FM presser

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Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at a press conference, in India

New Delhi: The opposition on Saturday termed the absence of female journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi “unacceptable” and “an insult to women”, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his position on the matter.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said if the prime minister's 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."

The Congress said it was shocking and unacceptable that the government of India agreed to the "ban on female journalists" at the presser in Delhi.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said, "(Tali)ban on female journalists in India. Shocking and unacceptable that the Govt of India agreed to it -- and that too in New Delhi on the eve of the International Day of the Girl Child."

Priyanka Gandhi asked Modi to clarify his position on the absence of women journalists from Muttaqi's press conference, and described the incident as an "insult to some of India's most competent women".

"Prime Minister @narendramodi 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 said on X.

"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 its pride," Priyanka Gandhi said.

The press conference addressed by Muttaqi on Friday saw participation restricted to a handful of reporters, while women journalists were conspicuous by their absence.

Muttaqi held the interaction at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, hours after holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

It is learnt that the decision on inviting journalists to the media interaction was taken by Taliban officials accompanying the foreign minister.

People familiar with the matter said the Indian side suggested to the Afghan side that women journalists should be part of the invitees for the event.

In a post on X, former home minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr 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)," Chidambaram said.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also slammed the government on the issue.

"The government has dishonoured every single Indian woman by allowing the Taliban minister to exclude women journalists from his presser. Shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites," she said on X.

Another Trinamool MP, Sagarika Ghose, claimed the Narendra Modi government again "reveals its failure to evolve a foreign policy in which engagement is separated from endorsement".

"Women journalists being excluded from the #Taliban press conference in Delhi is UNACCEPTABLE and HATEFUL. This is not oh-so-smart 'geostrategic diplomacy', it is a surrender by the weak, failed Narendra Modi coalition government," she said on X.

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said that by not allowing women journalists to attend the press conference of the Taliban foreign minister, India has compromised its own moral and diplomatic standing.

"This is not just a procedural lapse but a symbolic surrender of India's long-cherished commitment to equality, freedom of the press, and gender justice.

"For a country that has prided itself on being the world's largest democracy and a champion of women's participation in every sphere, this incident is deeply disappointing and politically short-sighted," Jha said in a post on X.

"It sends out the wrong message to Indian women and the global community that convenience has triumphed over conviction. Jai Hind," he added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said in an X post, "No women journalists invited for the presser (because of Taliban beliefs). The Bamiyan Buddhas (destroyed by Taliban) were the backdrop at the presser.

"The messaging of the 'Emirates of Afghanistan' as recognised as of yesterday by the Indian government. Truly ironic," she said.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate asked why did the Modi government agree to this "men-only" "Talibani diktat".

"How weak are you @DrSJaishankar and @narendramodi," Shrinate asked.

The Congress on its official X handle said women journalists were barred from Taliban Foreign Minister Muttaqi's press conference on Indian soil.

"This is not just about one event. It reflects the utter disregard for women's dignity that has become normal under the Modi government. When the world looks to India, a democracy built on equality, what message are we sending by allowing such discrimination to take place here? "We demand answers from the Modi government. How can they let anyone disrespect women on our soil? Or is this the government's own vision for women's silence, exclusion, and submission?" "How weak are you, @DrSJaishankar and @narendramodi, that you cannot even defend the basic dignity of Indian women in your own country," the party asked.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, "I understand the geopolitical compulsions that force us to engage with the Taliban, but to accede to their discriminatory and plain primitive mores is outright ridiculous, it's very disappointing to note the conduct of the @MEAIndia and @DrSJaishankar in excluding women journalists from the press briefing of the Taliban Minister."

The Taliban regime in Kabul has faced severe criticism from various countries as well as global bodies like the United Nations for restricting the rights of women in Afghanistan.

On Friday, Muttaqi side-stepped a direct question on the plight of women in Afghanistan, but said every country has its own customs, laws and principles, and there should be respect for them.

He claimed that the overall situation in Afghanistan has improved significantly since the Taliban came to power in August 2021.

Muttaqi pointed out that some 200 to 400 people died in Afghanistan every day before the Taliban started ruling the country.

"In these four years, there have been no such losses. Laws are in force and everyone has their rights. Those who are engaging in propaganda are making a mistake," Muttaqi said.

"Every country has its own customs, laws and principles, and works according to those. It is not correct that people are not given their rights. If people were not happy with the system and the laws, why has peace returned," he asked.