Saturday, March 29, 2025
A major political controversy erupted in India after women journalists were barred from attending a press conference held by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) quickly clarified that it had “no role” in organizing the event.
In its statement on Saturday, the MEA said, “The Ministry of External Affairs had no involvement in the press conference held yesterday by the Afghan Foreign Minister in Delhi.” Officials explained that while Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met Muttaqi for bilateral talks, the subsequent press briefing was arranged by the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, which restricted entry to male journalists and Afghan officials only.
The move triggered nationwide outrage, with opposition leaders accusing the government of silently endorsing Taliban-style discrimination.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it an “insult to India’s women journalists” and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarify his stance. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “Prime Minister Modi, please explain why women journalists were excluded from the Taliban representative’s press conference during his India visit. If your support for women’s rights is not just an election slogan, how could such an insult be tolerated in a country where women are its backbone and pride?”
Former Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed shock and disappointment, urging male reporters to have boycotted the event in solidarity. “If their female colleagues were excluded, male journalists should have walked out,” he said.
Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram also condemned the incident as “utterly disgraceful.” He remarked, “I understand the geopolitical compulsions forcing us to engage with the Taliban, but accepting their misogynistic practices is shameful. The MEA and Dr. Jaishankar’s conduct in this matter is deeply disappointing.”
Despite the uproar, bilateral talks went ahead. During his meeting with Muttaqi, Jaishankar announced that India would upgrade its technical mission in Kabul into a full-fledged embassy, reaffirming New Delhi’s commitment to Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence.
Muttaqi’s visit, which began on October 9 and will continue until October 16, marks the first high-level Afghan delegation to India since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
