'Insult to women': Priyanka Gandhi slams PM Modi over female journalists' absence from Afghan FM presser

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his position on the absence of women journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and described the incident as an "insult to some of India's most competent women".

The Congress general secretary said if the prime minister's recognition of women's rights isn't just convenient posturing from one election to the other, how has this "insult to some of India's most competent women been allowed in our country".

"Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India," she said on X.

"If your recognition of women's rights isn't just convenient posturing from one election to the other, how has this insult to some of India's most competent women been allowed in our country, a country whose women are its backbone and its pride," Priyanka Gandhi said.

The press conference addressed by Muttaqi on Friday saw participation restricted to a handful of reporters, while women journalists were conspicuous by their absence.

Muttaqi held the interaction at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, hours after holding 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.

People familiar with the matter said the Indian side suggested to the Afghan side that women journalists should be part of the invitees for the event.

In a post on X, former home minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "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.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, "I understand the geopolitical compulsions that force us to engage with the Taliban, but to accede to their discriminatory and plain primitive mores is outright ridiculous, it's very disappointing to note the conduct of the @MEAIndia and @DrSJaishankar in excluding women journalists from the press briefing of the Taliban Minister." Earlier, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed said on X, "Is it true that women journalists were not invited to the press conference of Afghanistan's Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as dictated by him? "Who are they to dictate terms to our nation, that too on our own soil, and impose their discriminatory agenda against women?" "Shame on @narendramodi and @DrSJaishankar for allowing this to happen," the Congress leader added.

The Taliban regime in Kabul has faced severe criticism from various countries as well as global bodies like the United Nations for restricting the rights of women in Afghanistan.

On Friday, Muttaqi side-stepped a direct question on the plight of women in Afghanistan, but said every country has its own customs, laws and principles, and there should be respect for them.

He claimed that the overall situation in Afghanistan has improved significantly since the Taliban came to power in August 2021.

Muttaqi pointed out that some 200 to 400 people died in Afghanistan every day before the Taliban started ruling the country.

"In these four years, there have been no such losses. Laws are in force and every one has their rights. Those who are engaging in propaganda are making a mistake," Muttaqi said.

"Every country has its own customs, laws and principles, and works according to those. It is not correct that people are not given their rights. If people were not happy with the system and the laws, why has peace returned," he asked.