New Delhi: The Indian government on Saturday clarified that it had “no role to play” in a controversial press conference held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, where no women journalists were present.
The event, held on Friday, has drawn sharp criticism after several female journalists claimed they were either not invited or barred from attending. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the invitations for the press conference were handled by the Afghan Consul General in Mumbai and that the embassy premises are not under the jurisdiction of the Indian government.
“The press meet took place at the Afghanistan Embassy, and the Indian government was not involved in organizing or managing the event,” an MEA spokesperson said.
The exclusion of women sparked outrage across media circles and political quarters. Some women journalists said they had followed the required dress code but were still denied entry. The incident comes amid widespread international criticism of the Taliban’s ongoing restrictions on women’s rights in Afghanistan, including bans on female education, employment, and even academic literature authored by women.
The absence of women at the event prompted strong reactions from opposition leaders. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a stand, saying: “How was such an insult to India’s women journalists allowed in our country? Indian women are our pride and backbone.”
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram also condemned the incident, stating, “Male journalists should have walked out upon realizing their women colleagues had been excluded.”
Muttaqi arrived in India on Thursday and held discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday. During the meeting, Jaishankar announced that India’s technical mission in Kabul would be upgraded to a full-fledged embassy—an announcement welcomed by the Afghan foreign minister.
“India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan,” Jaishankar said, highlighting India’s continued support for development projects in the country and promising six new initiatives.
While the diplomatic engagement marked a significant shift in India-Afghanistan relations, the press meet’s exclusionary nature has overshadowed the visit, raising questions about India’s stance on gender equality and its association with the Taliban-led administration.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
