Opposition and Media Bodies Condemn Exclusion of Female Journalists from Afghan FM Press Conference

The absence of female journalists at a press conference for Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has been condemned by opposition leaders and media organisations, who argue it reflects ongoing gender discrimination in India.

The exclusion of female journalists from a press conference held by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has sparked criticism from opposition parties and media organisations in India. They have condemned the incident as an affront to women and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the matter, suggesting it undermines his advocacy for women's empowerment.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Modi, stating that by allowing the exclusion of women journalists, the prime minister is signalling weakness in defending women's rights. "Mr Modi, 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," Gandhi said on X.

Opposition Voices Criticism

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned the prime minister's commitment to women's rights, asking how such an insult to competent Indian women was permitted. She urged Modi to clarify his stance on the absence of female journalists at Muttaqi's press conference. "Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference," she posted on X.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, expressed shock at the exclusion of female journalists. He criticised the government's agreement to such terms with the Taliban on Indian soil, especially on the eve of International Day of the Girl Child. "Shocking and unacceptable that the Govt of India agreed to it," he stated.

Media Organisations React

The Editors Guild of India and Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) have also condemned the exclusion. They argued that diplomatic privileges cannot justify gender discrimination in press access. The Editors Guild stated, "While diplomatic premises may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, that cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in press access on Indian soil."

The IWPC described the act as highly discriminatory and contrary to democratic values. They urged the Indian government to address this issue with the Afghan Embassy to prevent future occurrences. "We urge the government of India to take this matter up with the Afghan Embassy," they said.

Political Leaders Express Outrage

Former home minister P Chidambaram expressed shock over the exclusion and suggested male journalists should have walked out in solidarity with their female colleagues. CPIM General Secretary MA Baby criticised the government's acceptance of Taliban's terms, calling it deplorable. He remarked that it exposes the hollowness of slogans promoting women's empowerment.

CPI General Secretary D Raja demanded an explanation from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for permitting such discrimination. He emphasised that this incident supports patriarchal ideologies seeking to erase women's presence in public life. "This is nourishment to patriarchal ideology," he stated.

Broader Implications

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra accused the government of dishonouring Indian women by allowing Taliban's exclusionary practices. She described it as a shameful act by a spineless government. Another Trinamool MP, Sagarika Ghose, criticised Modi's foreign policy approach as weak and ineffective.

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha highlighted that excluding women journalists compromises India's moral and diplomatic standing. He called it a symbolic surrender of India's commitment to equality and freedom of press. "This is not just a procedural lapse but a symbolic surrender," he said.

Government's Response

The Darul Uloom Deoband seminary clarified there were no directives from Muttaqi's office regarding journalist attendance during his visit there. Ashraf Usmani, Deoband PRO, dismissed claims about excluding women journalists as baseless.

The Taliban regime has faced global criticism for its restrictive policies towards women in Afghanistan. This incident adds another layer to ongoing concerns about gender equality and freedom of press under their rule.

With inputs from PTI