MEA denies role in Afghan FM’s Delhi presser that excluded women journalists

Guwahati: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday clarified that it had no role in the press interaction held in New Delhi a day earlier by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi — an event that drew widespread criticism for excluding women journalists.

According to PTI, the decision on which journalists to invite was taken by Taliban officials accompanying the Afghan minister. “MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi,” the ministry stated on Saturday.

The press conference was held at the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi following bilateral talks between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Muttaqi.

No joint briefing was held after the official meeting, and the Afghan delegation conducted a separate media interaction at its embassy premises.

The incident sparked strong political reactions across India. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the exclusion of women journalists, calling it an “insult to some of India’s most competent women.” She questioned how such an incident could occur in India if the government truly values women’s rights beyond “convenient posturing from one election to another.”

Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram also expressed outrage, saying male journalists should have boycotted the event in solidarity with their female colleagues.

“I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. The men journalists should have walked out when they found their women colleagues excluded,” he said in a post on X.

The Taliban regime in Kabul has faced global condemnation for its continued restrictions on women’s rights. During the interaction, Muttaqi avoided a direct response on the issue, stating that every country has its own customs and laws that deserve respect.