After row, Afghanistan Foreign Minister includes women journalists in second press meet in India

New Delhi: A day after facing backlash for excluding women journalists from his media interaction, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday announced another press conference, this time ensuring that women reporters are invited.

Muttaqi, who is on a six-day visit to India, had sparked outrage on Friday after women journalists were reportedly barred from attending his earlier press briefing at the Afghan Embassy. The incident triggered sharp political reactions in India, with critics calling it a display of gender discrimination.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, lashed out at the government over the issue.

"Mr. 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," he said.

"In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti," he added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on has clarified that it had no involvement in the press interaction held by Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi on Friday.

Meanwhile, the visit of Afghanistan Foreign Minister to Agra on Sunday has been cancelled, official sources said.

However, officials in Agra did not mention any reason for the cancellation. The Afghan foreign minister was to travel to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

Muttaqi was scheduled to spend about an hour and a half at the monument before returning to Delhi.

The cancellation was also confirmed by the protocol department of the district administration.

Muttaqi, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday on a six-day trip, is the first senior Taliban minister to visit India after the group seized power four years ago. India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up.

The Afghan foreign minister on Saturday visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur, one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia.