'Insult to women': Priyanka slams PM Modi over female journalists' absence from Afghan FM presser
New Delhi (PTI): 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.
"If your 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, a country whose women are its backbone and its pride," Priyanka Gandhi said.
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.
In a post on X, former home minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan."
"In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited)," Chidambaram said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, "I understand the geopolitical compulsions that force us to engage with the Taliban, but to accede to their discriminatory and plain primitive mores is outright ridiculous, it's very disappointing to note the conduct of the @MEAIndia and @DrSJaishankar in excluding women journalists from the press briefing of the Taliban Minister."
Earlier, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed said on X, "Is it true that women journalists were not invited to the press conference of Afghanistan's Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as dictated by him?
"Who are they to dictate terms to our nation, that too on our own soil, and impose their discriminatory agenda against women?"
"Shame on @narendramodi and @DrSJaishankar for allowing this to happen," the Congress leader added.
The Taliban regime in Kabul has faced severe criticism from various countries as well as global bodies like the United Nations for restricting the rights of women in Afghanistan.
On Friday, Muttaqi side-stepped a direct question on the plight of women in Afghanistan, but said every country has its own customs, laws and principles, and there should be respect for them.
He claimed that the overall situation in Afghanistan has improved significantly since the Taliban came to power in August 2021.
Muttaqi pointed out that some 200 to 400 people died in Afghanistan every day before the Taliban started ruling the country.
"In these four years, there have been no such losses. Laws are in force and every one has their rights. Those who are engaging in propaganda are making a mistake," Muttaqi said.
"Every country has its own customs, laws and principles, and works according to those. It is not correct that people are not given their rights. If people were not happy with the system and the laws, why has peace returned," he asked.
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Man dies by suicide after being 'duped of ₹1.5 crore' in stock market scam
Jaipur (PTI): A 42-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after jumping in front of a Sikar-Rewari passenger train in Jhunjhunu district on Saturday morning, officials said.
Police launched a probe into allegations in a three-page suicide note in which the deceased allegedly blamed several individuals for his death, accusing them of cheating his family out of around Rs 1.5 crore through stock market investment.
The deceased cited mounting debts and alleged harassment by creditors as reasons that drove him to take the extreme step.
Kotwali police head constable Mahendra Singh said the deceased, Vimal Kumar Sharma, was identified using a mobile phone recovered from the spot near the New Housing Board police line crossing.
"We contacted numbers stored in the phone, which helped establish his identity. A suicide note was also found in the deceased's pocket," he said, adding that Sharma was engaged in share market trading.
In the suicide note, Sharma alleged that despite lodging a complaint at the Kotwali police station, police conducted no proper investigation and closed the case file without inquiry.
He claimed to possess evidence such as call recordings, a pen drive and bank statements.
Meanwhile, family members reached the hospital and demanded the arrest of the accused persons named in the suicide note, refusing to accept the body until action is taken.
Police said an investigation is underway.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
