After facing widespread backlash for barring women journalists from a press conference, Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday broke his silence, attributing the controversy to a "technical issue."
Addressing the media once again, this time with female reporters on the panel, Muttaqi stated that a specific list of journalists had been prepared for the first press conference, and invitations had been sent accordingly.
"With regards to the press conference, it was on short notice, and a short list of journalists was decided, and the participation list that was presented was very specific. It was more of a technical issue. Our colleagues had decided to send an invitation to a specific list of journalists, and there was no other intention apart from this," he said.
Catch Pakistan-Afghanistan clash live updates
The Taliban minister, who is on a week-long visit to India, was accused of gender discrimination after his initial press meet excluded all women journalists, an act that drew sharp condemnation from media bodies, opposition leaders, and civil society alike.
India reacts
While the Indian government quickly distanced itself from the controversy, with the Ministry of External Affairs clarifying that it had "no involvement" in arranging the presser, critics said that, regardless of coordination, the fact that such exclusion was allowed to happen without objection was deeply troubling.
{{/usCountry}}While the Indian government quickly distanced itself from the controversy, with the Ministry of External Affairs clarifying that it had "no involvement" in arranging the presser, critics said that, regardless of coordination, the fact that such exclusion was allowed to happen without objection was deeply troubling.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Soldiers killed, posts captured: Why Afghanistan, Pakistan are clashing at the border
"MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi," the ministry said in a statement.
Media bodies, opposition leaders condemned the act
The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) denounced the exclusion as a serious affront to press freedom and gender equality.
"While diplomatic premises may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, that cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in press access on Indian soil," the Guild said in a statement.
Also Read | Pak Minister Mohsin Naqvi's India remark amid Afghan border clash: 'Befitting reply like...'
Following the outrage, Muttaqi's team extended invitations to women journalists for a follow-up press conference on Sunday, a move seen as a reluctant course correction in response to public pressure.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and P Chidambaram demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarify his position on the incident, calling it "an insult to India's women journalists."
In a post on X, Priyanka said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India. If your recognition of women's rights isn't just convenient posturing from one election to the other, then how has this insult to some of India's most competent women been allowed in our country, a country whose women are its backbone and its pride?"
Also Read | Did India ‘allow’ gender ban at Afghanistan embassy event? What the law says
TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the episode a national embarrassment, stating, "The government has dishonoured every single Indian woman by allowing the Taliban minister to exclude women journalists. Shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites."
Veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram went further, saying the male journalists who attended Friday's event should have walked out in solidarity with their female colleagues.