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India on Saturday (October 11) clarified that it had “no role to play” in the press conference addressed by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi, an event that drew criticism after women journalists were reportedly barred from attending.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the invitations for the press meet were extended by Afghanistan’s Consul General in Mumbai to a select group of journalists based in New Delhi for the Afghan minister’s visit.

It further noted that the Afghan Embassy premises fall outside the jurisdiction of the Indian government.

Also Read: Jaishankar meets Taliban FM Muttaqi in Delhi: Top 5 takeaways from crucial meeting

No women journalists in Taliban presser

The press conference addressed by Muttaqi on Friday (October 10) restricted participation to a small group of reporters, with women journalists conspicuously absent.

The interaction took place at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, shortly after Muttaqi’s held wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

It is learnt that the decision on inviting journalists to the media interaction was taken by Taliban officials accompanying the foreign minister.

According to a PTI report quoting people familiar with the matter, the Indian side had suggested to the Afghan officials that women journalists should be be included among the invitees for the event.

Many journalists also condemned the act and expressed their anger on social media.

Congress condemns exclusion of women journalists

Opposition leaders also questioned the Centre over the alleged ‘ban’ on women journalists at the event.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his stance on the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference addressed by visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, calling the incident “an insult to some of India’s most competent women.”

Expressing dismay, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram wrote on X, “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan.” “In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited),” Chidambaram said.

This comes amid the fact that Muttaqi, a member of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, represents a regime known for imposing severe restrictions on women, including effectively barring them from employment.

Muttaqi arrived in India on Thursday (October 9) and met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday. The meeting is viewed as a significant step in resetting bilateral relations between the two countries.