By BK Singh
Facing mounting outrage over the exclusion of women journalists from his earlier media interaction, visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has called for a fresh press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, this time explicitly extending invitations to women reporters.
The decision comes two days after the Taliban minister’s Friday press meet triggered a storm of criticism across India and abroad, when women journalists were reportedly barred from attending the event.
Backlash Over Gender Exclusion
Muttaqi, who arrived in India on Thursday for a week-long visit, had faced immediate condemnation from media bodies and civil society groups.
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) and the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) denounced the exclusion of female journalists as an act of “blatant gender discrimination”, incompatible with both democratic norms and India’s constitutional values.
While diplomatic premises may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, that cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in press access on Indian soil,” the EGI said in a sharply worded statement.
The IWPC urged the Government of India to intervene, stating that gender-based exclusion at a public interaction “cannot be tolerated in a democratic country that takes pride in equality and freedom of expression.”
Government Distances Itself
On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that it had “no role” in organizing the event. The MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan Foreign Minister in Delhi,” officials stated.
However, the Editors Guild countered that distancing alone was insufficient, remarking: Whether or not the MEA coordinated the event, it is deeply troubling that such discriminatory exclusion was allowed to proceed without objection.”
Political and Public Outrage
The incident quickly snowballed into a political flashpoint.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi castigated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence, saying: When you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.
In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded that the Prime Minister clarify his position, asking how “the insult to some of India’s most competent women was allowed to occur in our country — a nation whose women are its pride and its backbone.”
TMC MP Mahua Moitra described the incident as “shameful,” saying: The government has dishonoured every single Indian woman by allowing the Taliban minister to exclude women journalists. A shameful display of spineless hypocrisy.”
Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram went a step further, saying male journalists present should have boycotted the event. I am shocked that women journalists were excluded. In my view, their male colleagues should have walked out in solidarity.”
A Question to the Afghan Delegation
In the midst of the diplomatic defensiveness and media outrage, a deeper question now echoes across public discourse:
If the Taliban claim to be peace-loving and advocates of democracy, why do they continue to insist on leaving women behind?
Observers argue that Afghanistan — under Taliban leadership — continues to display the mindset of a bygone era, one that refuses to acknowledge that the 21st century is an age of equality, innovation, and shared progress.
As one retired Indian civil servant remarked: It appears that Afghanistan has still got to learn that it is not the sixteenth century anymore. The world has moved ahead. Modern nations are built on resilience, gratitude, and respect — especially for women, who represent the true strength of any society.”
He added that Afghan leaders must recognize how women across the globe are breaking barriers and redefining history:
Women in India are flying fighter jets, steering spacecraft into orbit, commanding regiments in the Army, and holding positions of authority across every field. Even Pakistan, Afghanistan’s immediate neighbour, is witnessing a new generation of women taking up diverse roles — some tragically even as militant recruits, others bravely as peace advocates and reformers.”
A Nation at a Crossroads
For Afghanistan to emerge as a credible, strong, and respected nation, experts say it must shed its regressive approach and embrace the principle of equality.
The retired bureaucrat emphasized: If Afghanistan truly wishes to build a stable and prosperous future, it must unshackle itself from outdated thinking that confines women to household duties and motherhood. Strength lies in inclusion — in showing the world that the nation can evolve without erasing its cultural identity.”
He concluded: Afghanistan is free to maintain its traditions and religious values in a democratic way, but it must prove to the world that it stands for the welfare of all, without discrimination of gender, culture, caste, or creed. Only then will it earn the world’s respect.”
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