Taliban’s Press Conference In Delhi Bars Women Journalists: Opposition Asks PM Modi For Clarification
A press conference addressed by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Delhi on Friday has sparked widespread outrage after women journalists were reportedly barred from attending.
The incident has drawn criticism from opposition leaders, civil society, and social media users, highlighting ongoing concerns about women’s rights under the Taliban government.
The press conference was addressed by Amir Khan Muttaqi, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, attended by select male journalists. Women journalists, including those who reportedly adhered to the dress code, were not allowed entry. Opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and P. Chidambaram, condemned the exclusion, saying that male journalists should have walked out in solidarity.
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.
If your recognition of women’s rights isn’t just convenient posturing from one election to…
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 11, 2025
The Afghan minister held a press meet at the Afghanistan Embassy in Delhi, following his visit and bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. During the conference, women journalists were denied entry, reportedly causing outrage on social media.
Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi, which, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), is Afghan territory and does not fall under the Indian government’s jurisdiction.
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The press meet occurred on Friday, October 10, 2025, a day after Muttaqi held talks with EAM Jaishankar on Thursday, which included the announcement of upgrading India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to full embassy status.
The MEA clarified that the press meet invitations were sent by the Afghanistan Consul General in Mumbai to select journalists stationed in Delhi. The Taliban’s policies restricting women in public and professional spaces are believed to have influenced the exclusion.
Following the event, multiple journalists and politicians expressed outrage on social media, questioning the exclusion of women.
By not allowing women journalists to attend the press conference of the Taliban Foreign Minister, India has compromised its own moral and diplomatic standing. This is not just a procedural lapse but a symbolic surrender of India’s long-cherished commitment to equality, freedom of… pic.twitter.com/nUxk82v1pc
— Manoj Kumar Jha (@manojkjhadu) October 11, 2025
The Taliban government has a track record of restricting women’s participation in professional and academic spaces, including banning books by women and cutting courses such as Gender and Development, Women’s Sociology, and Human Rights from Afghan universities. The MEA stated that India had “no role to play” in the press conference and that the Afghan Embassy is sovereign territory.
