’Insult to women’: Priyanka slams PM Modi over female journalists’ absence

mangaloretoday.com/DH news

NEW DELHI,October 11, 2025: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his position on the absence of women journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and described the incident as an "insult to some of India’s most competent women".

The Congress general secretary said if the prime minister’s recognition of women’s rights isn’t just convenient posturing from one election to the other, how has this "insult to some of India’s most competent women been allowed in our country".

"Prime Minister @narendramodi 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," she said on X.

The press conference addressed by Muttaqi on Friday saw participation restricted to a handful of reporters, while women journalists were conspicuous by their absence. Muttaqi held the interaction at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, hours after holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. It is learnt that the decision on inviting journalists to the media interaction was taken by Taliban officials accompanying the foreign minister.

People familiar with the matter said the Indian side suggested to the Afghan side that women journalists should be part of the invitees for the event.