Taliban Minister Bars Women Journalists at New Delhi Press Conference, Sparks Outrage and MEA Clarification

A press conference by Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi on Friday excluded women journalists, triggering sharp criticism and political backlash within India. The event, held after Muttaqi’s talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saw only male journalists allowed inside, a decision reportedly made by Taliban officials accompanying the minister.

The move appeared to mirror long-standing gender restrictions under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, where women’s participation in public life has faced severe curbs. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to the controversy by clarifying it had no role in organizing the press interaction or in setting the invite list, emphasizing that the embassy operates under Afghan jurisdiction and not Indian government control.

Senior political leaders condemned the exclusion, with former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram suggesting male journalists should have walked out in solidarity. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarify his position on the incident, calling the exclusion “an insult to some of India’s most competent women.” TMC MP Mahua Moitra declared the government had dishonored Indian women by allowing such discrimination.

During the press conference, Muttaqi sidestepped questions about the condition of women in Afghanistan, instead advocating respect for each country’s customs and laws. Even as he claimed Afghanistan had seen improvements since the Taliban takeover, the absence of female voices at his Delhi event reignited concerns over gender equality, both for Afghans and for visitors from India and beyond.

The incident highlights the persistent global scrutiny of Taliban gender policies and raises questions about the expectations and standards upheld during international diplomatic engagements in India.