Taliban minister sparks outrage with ban over women journalists at press conference, MEA responds to criticism

PTC News Desk: Amid massive criticism over exclusion of women from the press meet, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it had no role in the press conference. 

Clarifying on record, official sources said, “The Ministry of External Affairs had no involvement in the presser held yesterday by the Afghan foreign minister in Delhi.”

A press meet Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi has triggered a massive outrage over its dictat that no women shall be allowed during the conference. 

Muttaqi, who arrived in India on Thursday, held talks with Jaishankar on Friday. The meeting, seen as a big reset of ties, saw India announcing that the technical mission in Kabul would be upgraded to an embassy, which was welcomed by the Afghanistan foreign minister.

"India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan. I am pleased to announce the upgrading of India's Technical Mission to the status of embassy," Jaishankar said. 

Amir Khan Muttaqi is part of the Taliban government ruling in Afghanistan, a group widely nown for imposing restrictive measures on women significantly barring them from working. 

Several journalists took to their social media and expressed outrage over not allowing women journalists to be present at the event despite adhering to the dress code. Many social media users also questioned the action. 

Trinamool Congress Mahua Moitra strongly criticised the Union government and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar over exclusion of women journalists from the press meet held in New Delhi. 

"How dare our government allow Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Muttaqi to exclude women journalists and hold a ‘male-only’ news conference on Indian soil with full protocol? How dare @DrSJaishankar agree to this? And why did our emasculated spineless male journos remain in the room?" she posted.

Congress leader P Chidambram also expressed anger over the development and said that in solidarity men journalists should also have walked out.