Arpan Ray, a female journalist based in New Delhi, reacted to the barring of women reporters from attending the press conference of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghan Embassy, writing:
“How is it possible that women were not allowed to enter! All the female journalists came fully covered and dressed appropriately, but none of that was enough for the Taliban!”
This comes after security personnel at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi prevented women journalists from attending Muttaqi’s press briefing—an action also confirmed by NDTV journalist Aditya Raj Kaul.
Following the incident, a wave of outrage erupted among Indian journalists and citizens on social media.
Some reporters wrote:
“It’s shameful that Taliban laws are being enforced in a democratic country like India. This is an insult to the talented women journalists of India.”
Indian citizens also criticized the silence of male journalists who attended the press conference, saying:
“Why did the male reporters allow this to happen? They should have boycotted the event.”
Another user wrote:
“Your female colleagues were banned on Indian soil, and you acted as if nothing had happened!”
So far, neither the Indian Ministry of External Affairs nor the Taliban have issued an official statement regarding the incident.
