Taliban Take Their Misogynistic Sharia to India; Female Journalists Barred from Amir Khan Muttaqi’s Press Conference

Photo: DrSJaishankar/X

Indian media outlets have reported that during a press conference held by Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, in New Delhi, female journalists were not allowed to attend; an action that has sparked outrage and condemnation among Indian journalists and politicians.

The conference took place on Friday (October 10) at the building of the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi. NDTV reported that no female journalist was present at the event and that several women reporters were prevented from entering.

Sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that the list of invitees had been prepared by Amir Khan Muttaqi’s accompanying delegation. The Press Trust of India (PTI) also reported that the Indian side had proposed that female journalists be included among the invitees, but Taliban representatives apparently rejected the suggestion.

In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that it had no involvement in organizing the conference and that the invitations were sent by the “Consul General of Afghanistan in Mumbai.” The ministry added, “The premises of the Afghan Embassy are not under the jurisdiction of the Government of India.”

However, this explanation failed to calm public anger. Female journalists wrote on social media that they were barred from attending the event despite fully adhering to dress code rules.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, leader of the Congress Party, criticized the Indian government, asking:

“How can such humiliation of some of India’s most competent women be tolerated in a country where women are the backbone and pride of the nation?”

P. Chidambaram, former Home Minister, said: “I am shocked by this decision. Male journalists should have walked out once they realized their female colleagues were excluded.”

Media analysts described the move as a manifestation of the Taliban’s gender prejudice on Indian soil, calling it “unacceptable, disgraceful, and shameful.” They accused the Indian government of showing tolerance toward discrimination, in a country that claims to defend democracy and gender equality.

Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from the TMC party, sharply criticized the Modi government and India’s Foreign Minister, saying:

“How could you allow the Taliban’s foreign minister to exclude female journalists and hold an all-male conference with full protocol on Indian soil? Why did Jaishankar agree? And why did male journalists remain silent?”

Independent Indian journalist Smita Sharma said that not only were women excluded from the event, but India’s Foreign Minister, during his meeting with Muttaqi, also failed to raise the dire situation of Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule.

The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) strongly condemned the incident and criticized the Modi government for permitting such discrimination.

Pooja Tripathi, spokesperson for the Congress Party, also said:

“How dare our government allow Amir Khan Muttaqi to bar female journalists from a press conference and host an all-male event on Indian soil? This sends the wrong message, especially on the International Day of the Girl.”

In Afghanistan, the Taliban have banned women from education, work, and public life; a policy that human rights organizations have described as “gender apartheid.” Now, it appears that the group is extending this demeaning attitude beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

The incident has also provoked anger among activists inside and outside Afghanistan. Social media users have accused India of “submitting to the Taliban” and said that New Delhi should not remain silent in the face of such humiliation of women for the sake of political interests.