Mahua Moitra hits out at Centre over Afghan Foreign Minister's presser barring women journalists

New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Saturday lashed out at the Centre for allowing Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to hold a press conference in Delhi where women journalists were reportedly not permitted to participate, calling it a "dishonourable" act that goes against India's values.

Muttaqi, a senior leader in the Taliban government, is known for overseeing policies that severely restrict women's rights in Afghanistan, including bans on employment and education.

India has maintained a cautious stance towards engaging with the Taliban due to its human rights record and concerns about Afghanistan becoming a haven for terror groups.

Expressing her outrage on X, Moitra said, "I'm putting out this video to bring to everyone's attention the horrendous incident that has occurred today in Delhi on Indian soil. The visiting Taliban delegation of Foreign Minister Muttaqi has met with S. Jaishankar, our External Affairs Minister. Following this, the Taliban Foreign Minister held a presser in Delhi on Indian soil where women journalists were not allowed."

She further attacked the Ministry of External Affairs for extending diplomatic courtesies to the Taliban delegation.

"The Indian foreign ministry has laid out the red carpet for this man, this Taliban foreign minister who has had the gumption to ask for women to be removed from a room where he is having a press conference, and we are giving this delegation official status and providing them protocol," she said.

Moitra also took aim at the journalists who attended the press briefing, accusing them of remaining silent in the face of discrimination.

"Every male journalist who participated in this press conference didn't utter a word of protest. Are you emasculated? Are you spineless? I'm asking all the journalists who were in that room -- the male journalists," she remarked.

Calling the incident a national shame, Moitra said, "This is the ultimate dishonour to the women of India that our government has been a willing participant and has used taxpayers' money to fund this exercise. Women journalists have been asked to leave the room. What is going on?"

"You're talking about 'Beti Bachao', about women in India, about 'Maas' and 'Behans' and all of that. You are providing, at taxpayer expense, official protocol and the red carpet for a government delegation that is actually on Indian soil, dishonouring our values and asking for women to be removed from the room," she added, criticising the government.

She concluded her statement by urging citizens to take note of the incident and demand accountability.

"I hope I'm not the only one feeling this outrage. I hope every single woman in this country knows about this, feels the outrage, and asks our government some questions," she said.

--IANS

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