NEW DELHI: Coming down heavily on the Modi government over the exclusion of female journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, the opposition on Saturday termed the incident ‘shocking and unacceptable’, saying it dishonored Indian women by allowing the Taliban minister to do so.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sought PM Modi to clarify his position on the incident. “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 posted on X.
Sharing her post on X, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that by allowing “exclusion” of women scribes from a public forum, the prime minister is telling every woman in India that he is “too weak to stand up for them”. Gandhi also said Modi’s silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the “emptiness” of his slogans on Nari Shakti.
Echoing the criticism, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said that the government has dishonored Indian women by allowing the Taliban minister to exclude female journalists.
The Editors Guild of India has condemned the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi, calling it blatant gender discrimination. It criticised the lack of objection from authorities and media attendees, terming it a troubling sign of complacency. The Guild urged the Indian government to uphold gender equity in press access.
MEA says no role in press interaction by minister
The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday clarified that it had no involvement in the press interaction held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi on Friday. “MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi,” the ministry said.
