Renowned lyricist, poet, and screenwriter Javed Akhtar recently sparked conversations online with his critical remarks on Taliban Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India and the “respect and reception” he received during the trip. Akhtar had also highlighted the glaring absence of women journalists at the press conference, suggesting that sharp-witted reporters like Anjana Om Kashyap, Chitra, Navika, and Rubika should have been present.
In a tweet, Akhtar wrote, “How I wish that the sharp witted women journalists like Anjana Om Kashyap, Chitra, Navika and Rubika could attend the first press conference of that woman hater Talibani who was the official guest of our secular country but Alas …”
A social media user responded by mocking Akhtar, suggesting, “Sir you are an artist, why don’t you dress up like a woman and attend that press conference!”
Javed Akhtar responds to social media troll
Akhtar’s reply was sharp and unapologetic, “Brother, honestly I am feeling sorry for you. Why you are born with such a low IQ. Nature has not been fair to you. Any way atleast you can tell your name, eat food on your own, change clothes and cross a road. You have to be thankful for that.”
Criticism of Taliban minister’s reception in India
The veteran writer had earlier expressed his discomfort over the reception the Taliban minister received in India. On X, he wrote, “I hang my head in shame when I see the kind of respect and reception has been given to the representative of the world’s worst terrorist group Taliban by those who beat the pulpit against all kind of terrorists.”
Muttaqi’s India visit
For context, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi on Friday. This marked the first high-level engagement between India and Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in 2021, following the US withdrawal. Muttaqi’s initial press conference drew criticism for excluding women journalists, prompting a second conference two days later that included over a dozen women reporters. The Taliban minister described the earlier absence of women as a “technical issue.”