(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, on Saturday backed Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's criticism of the Centre over the Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's press conference in Delhi, where women journalists were not permitted to participate.

Muttaqi, a senior leader in the Taliban government, is known for overseeing policies that severely restrict women's rights in Afghanistan, including bans on employment and education.

India has maintained a cautious stance towards engaging with the Taliban due to its human rights record and concerns about Afghanistan becoming a haven for terror groups.

Reposting Priyanka Gandhi's X post, Rahul Gandhi said, "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 that in India, women have the right to equality in every sector and slammed the Centre's silence over the press conference issue.

"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," LoP Gandhi added.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Priyanka questioned how the Central government is committed to women's empowerment if such insults towards female journalists are allowed in India.

In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 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."

"If your recognition of women's rights isn't just convenient posturing from one election to the other, then 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," she said.

The Centre, however, denied any role in the "ban" on women journalists in Muttaqi's press conference.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that invitations to the press event were sent by Afghanistan's Consul General in Mumbai to selected journalists based in Delhi for the Afghan minister's visit. The Afghan Embassy's premises are outside Indian government jurisdiction, NDTV reported, quoting the ministry.

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