“Men journalists should have walked out”, opposition slams Government over exclusion of women journalists from Afghan press conference

The Taliban government in Kabul has faced sustained global condemnation, including from the United Nations, for its curbs on women’s rights, education, and participation in public life

A press conference by Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi on Friday drew attention for all the wrong issues —women journalists reportedly asked to stay away from the event after talks with external affairs minister S Jaishankar. According to those familiar with the development the decision was taken by Taliban officials accompanying Muttaqi. Apparently, the Indian side suggested that women reporters should also be included among the invitees but it was not accepted. Former Home Minister P Chidambaram expressed shock saying “men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded”. “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 wrote on X. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s position on the issue. “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. If your recognition of women’s rights isn’t just 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, a country whose women are its backbone and its pride,” she wrote on X. TMC MP Mahua Moitra accused the BJP-led government of “dishonouring” “every single Indian woman by allowing Taliban minister to exclude women journalists from presser. Shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites.”

The Taliban government in Kabul has faced sustained global condemnation, including from the United Nations, for its curbs on women’s rights, education, and participation in public life. When asked about the condition of women in Afghanistan, Muttaqi sidestepped the question. Instead, he maintained that each country had its own systems and values that should be respected. “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 was quoted as saying