The Editors Guild of India has issued a strong condemnation following the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference held by Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his visit to India. The Guild described this discriminatory act as “deeply troubling,” emphasizing that such practices are unacceptable, especially on Indian soil, regardless of the Ministry of External Affairs’ involvement in coordinating the event.
The press conference, part of Muttaqi’s diplomatic engagements in India, has sparked controversy and ignited discussions on gender rights. Reports indicate that female media personnel were barred from attending, drawing criticism from various political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and P. Chidambaram from the Congress, and Mahua Moitra of the TMC.
In response to the criticism, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the government had no role in the press interaction organized by the Afghan foreign minister. However, the Editors Guild of India reiterated its firm stance, stating in a released statement, “The organization strongly condemns the exclusion of women journalists from the press conference.”
The Guild pointed out that while diplomatic premises might operate under the Vienna Convention, this cannot serve as justification for blatant gender discrimination in press access within India. The organization expressed concern that the lack of collective condemnation for such discriminatory practices reflects a “troubling complacency” within the journalistic community.
The Editors Guild urged the central government to publicly assert that press access at diplomatic events hosted in India must adhere to principles of gender equity. Furthermore, they called upon fellow journalists and media organizations to introspect on this incident and adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discriminatory exclusion at press events, championing the cause of a free and inclusive press.
Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The Taliban’s stance on women’s rights remains a significant global concern, with established patterns of restricting their access to education, employment, and public life.