New Delhi: The Indian government on Saturday said it had no role in organising the press conference held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi, which drew criticism after no women journalists were present.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the event took place at the Afghanistan Embassy, which is not under India’s jurisdiction. The ministry said invitations for the press meet were sent by Afghanistan’s Consul General in Mumbai to select journalists who were in Delhi for the minister’s visit.
The press conference, held on Friday at the Afghan Embassy, saw only male reporters in attendance. Some women journalists claimed they were stopped from entering despite following the dress code. The incident led to strong reactions from journalists and opposition leaders on social media.
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that by allowing such exclusion, the government had failed to stand up for women. “Your silence in the face of this discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti,” he said.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also demanded an explanation from the Prime Minister, calling the incident an “insult” to India’s women journalists. Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram said male reporters should have walked out when they realised their female colleagues were not invited.
The controversy comes amid continued restrictions on women under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, including bans on education, employment, and books authored by women.
Muttaqi, who arrived in India on Thursday, met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday. During the meeting, India announced the upgrade of its technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy, reaffirming its support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and development.
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