Outrage Over Exclusion of Female Journalists during Taliban Event in India

Mon Oct 13 2025 22:08:17 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The exclusion of female journalists from a press event with the Afghan Taliban’s foreign minister in India has sparked significant backlash from politicians and media figures, highlighting ongoing gender inequities in reporting.

A recent press event in India involving the Afghan Taliban's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has been marred by controversy after female journalists were excluded from attending. The actions have drawn widespread condemnation from Indian politicians and media organizations, who argue that such discriminatory practices threaten press freedom and gender equity. Despite government denials of involvement, calls for accountability and action towards inclusive media representation have intensified.

Indian politicians and journalists have criticised the government for failing to speak out after female journalists were excluded from a press event with the Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister in Delhi. Around 16 male reporters were selected to attend a forum on Friday with Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghan embassy. Journalists observed women and foreign media being turned away.

However, Zai Takel, a member of the Taliban government's delegation and spokesman for the foreign ministry, denied anyone was turned away and stated that all journalists who came to the embassy were allowed to participate. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) asserted that it had no involvement in the press interaction at the Afghan embassy.

A source within the Taliban government later admitted that women had not been invited to attend the event, claiming it was due to lack of proper coordination but promised that female journalists would be invited to future events if held in Delhi.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the event's facilitation, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was implicitly communicating that Indian women are too weak to stand up for. The Editors Guild of India decried the exclusion, asserting that the government's failure to prevent such discrimination was deeply troubling.

Muttaqi's visit to India is marked by high-level discussions, including an announcement by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar regarding the reopening of India's embassy in Kabul. Since the Taliban's return to power, strict restrictions have been enforced that severely impact the rights of Afghan women and girls.

Following the male-only press event, Rahul Gandhi emphasized on social media that women in India deserve equal participation in all spheres. Politician Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged Modi to clarify his stance on the incident and lamented the exclusion of India’s capable women during such significant diplomatic interactions.

Criticism was further fueled by voices suggesting that attending male journalists should have exited in solidarity with their excluded female counterparts. Mahua Moitra, a politician, expressed her outrage over the government's allowances for the Taliban minister to dictate who could participate, calling it an insult to Indian women.