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Furious Indians berate Afghan Taliban for excluding women from press conference

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Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was on a four-day long visit to India earlier in the week, seeking to discuss bilateral trade, security issues and humanitarian aid with his counterpart. 

The trip, being projected as a major milestone by both the Afghan and Indian governments, turned sour when no female journalists were allowed to a press conference that Muttaqi addressed. 

While the government denied that it had barred women from the presser, condemnation flew in fast and furious from politicians, activists and journalists. Most of the criticism directed derision at the Taliban’s bans on women’s participation in public life. 

Rahul Gandhi, head of the Indian National Congress (INC), addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet that minced no words. 

His sister, Priyanka Vohra, also addressed Modi while calling the act an “insult” to the women of the country. 

A former executive editor of a major media group called her male colleagues “spineless” for not walking out on the Afghan minister. 

One account called the Taliban “deeply misogynistic”. 


Another journalist continued in the same vein, heaping derision upon the Indian government and the Taliban.

 One X user termed the move “pukeworthy”. 


Veteran journalist Suhasini Haidar pointed out that no women were present at the official meeting between the two foreign ministers. 

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