LoP Rahul Gandhi's BIG statement on exclusion of women journalists from Muttaqi's presser: 'Your slogans on Nari Shakti...'

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday, i.e., October 11, strongly criticised the Narendra Modi-led government after the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference addressed by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi raised questions about gender bias. Gandhi claimed that the exclusion of women scribes from a public forum, the prime minister is telling every woman in India that he is "too weak to stand up for them."

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Mr. Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them." "In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti," the post further reads.

No women journalists allowed at Muttaqi's presser

No women journalists were allowed at the press conference of Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Delhi today, i.e., October 10, raising questions about gender bias in media coverage of key diplomatic events. The absence of women journalists at the press conference reflects the situation in Afghanistan, particularly under the Taliban rule.

However, a spokesperson from the Taliban government later issued a clarification regarding the issue. In a conversation with CNN-News 18, Suhail Sahaheen, Afghan Taliban spokesperson, said, "There is no discriminatory policy against women. The number of passes was limited; some received them, some did not. It was a technical matter and should not be viewed as a policy issue". 

During the conversation with the outlet, he affirmed that Muttaqi meets female journalists in his office on a regular basis. "Muttaqi meets women in his office in Kabul regularly. I myself do interviews with female journalists". Shaheen further pressed that there is no discrimination against women. "There is no such thing that this is an intentional act to exclude women from the briefing. However, there were male journalists who were not able to get past to participate in the briefing", as quoted by CNN-News 18.

Moreover, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it had "no role" in barring women from the press conference.

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