Opposition slams Govt over women journalists’ absence
New Delhi, Oct 11: The opposition on Saturday termed the absence of female journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi “unacceptable” and “an insult to women”, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his position on the matter.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra 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”. The Congress said it was shocking and unacceptable that the government of India agreed to the “ban on female journalists” at the presser in Delhi.
PM’S SILENCE EXPOSES EMPTINESS OF HIS NARI SHAKTI SLOGANS: RAHUL GANDHI
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the absence of female journalists from Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s presser here, saying by allowing “exclusion” of women scribes from a public forum, the prime minister is telling every woman in India that he is “too weak to stand up for them”. Gandhi also said Modi’s silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the “emptiness” of his slogans on Nari Shakti. In a post on X, Gandhi said, “Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.”
NO ROLE IN ORGANISING PRESSER: MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday clarified that it had no role in organising the press interaction held in New Delhi on Friday by visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The clarification came after the event drew criticism for excluding women journalists. According to PTI, the decision on media invitations was made by Taliban officials accompanying the minister. “MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi,” the ministry said in a statement.
