Priyanka Gandhi Questions PM Modi on Exclusion of Women Journalists at Taliban Foreign Minister’s Press Conference
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference held during the visit of a Taliban delegation to India.
In an official post on her social media handle ‘X’, Priyanka Gandhi tagged PM Modi, writing: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, please clarify your position on the removal of women journalists from the press conference during the visit of the Taliban representative to India.”
She further criticized the incident as an insult to Indian women, stating: “If your commitment to women’s rights is not just a superficial show between elections, then how was such disrespect allowed against capable women journalists in our country, where women are the backbone and pride of the nation?”
On the other hand, Mahua Moitra, in a video message on social media platform ‘X’, highlighted the severity of the event, stating: “I am releasing this video to draw everyone’s attention to the horrifying incident that took place on Indian soil. The Taliban delegation, visiting during Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s tour, met our Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. Later, the Taliban Foreign Minister held a press conference in Delhi where women journalists were not allowed to attend.”
Moitra criticized the Indian government, stating: “The Indian Ministry of External Affairs rolled out the red carpet for this Taliban minister, who had the audacity to ask women to leave the room during his press conference, while granting them official status and protocol.”
She also targeted the male journalists present at the press conference, accusing them of remaining silent despite discrimination: “Not a single male journalist in that room raised a word of protest. Have you become spineless? I am asking all the male journalists present in that room.”
Calling the incident a national embarrassment, Moitra said: “This is a grave insult to the women of India. Our government voluntarily participated in this and used taxpayers’ money to facilitate it. Women journalists were asked to leave the room—what is happening?”
She criticized the government further: “While you talk about ‘Beti Bachao,’ India’s daughters, mothers, and sisters, you are providing official protocol and a red carpet for a foreign delegation on Indian soil that demanded women be removed. This is an insult to our values.”
Moitra concluded her video by urging citizens to pay attention to the incident and demand accountability. Several women journalists who were expected to attend the press conference in Delhi confirmed that they were not invited.