The recent diplomatic visit of Afghanistan’s acting Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to India has become a focal point of political and gender rights debate. The controversy erupted following allegations that women journalists were denied entry to a press conference held by Muttaqi at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi.
This incident has drawn strong condemnation from prominent Indian political figures. Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram voiced his dismay, labeling the exclusion of female journalists as “shocking” and suggesting that male reporters should have staged a walkout in solidarity. Similarly, TMC leader Mahua Moitra expressed outrage, questioning the government’s decision to allow such discrimination on Indian soil and criticizing the male journalists who remained present.
Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram directly accused the Indian government and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar of condoning gender-based exclusion under the guise of diplomatic engagement. He stated, “I understand the geopolitical compulsions that force us to engage with the Taliban, but to accede to their discriminatory & plain primitive mores is outright ridiculous.”
Taliban’s First High-Level Visit Since 2021
Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit, spanning from October 9 to October 16, marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to India since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. Earlier in his visit, Muttaqi held bilateral discussions with EAM S. Jaishankar, focusing on strengthening India-Afghanistan relations and exploring cooperative efforts. India also announced new projects for Afghanistan as part of its ongoing healthcare cooperation.