Veteran lyricist, screenwriter, and poet Javed Akhtar has strongly criticised the visit of Taliban minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India, expressing deep disappointment over the warm welcome he received. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Akhtar said he was ashamed to see the kind of reception extended to a representative of what he described as the "world’s worst terrorist group."

“I hang my head in shame when I see the kind of respect and reception that has been given to the representative of the world’s worst terrorist group, the Taliban, by those who otherwise loudly oppose terrorism of all kinds,” he wrote.

Akhtar also condemned the visit to Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, where Muttaqi was reportedly given a reverent welcome. The seminary made elaborate preparations for the visit, including deploying tight security and inviting 15 prominent Islamic scholars to receive the Taliban leader. The seminary’s rector, Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, personally welcomed Muttaqi, with students showering flower petals and many taking selfies with him and his entourage.

“Shame on Deoband too for giving such a reverent welcome to their ‘Islamic Hero,’ who represents a regime that has completely banned girls’ education,” Akhtar added. “My Indian brothers and sisters — what is happening to us?”

Muttaqi’s visit to Deoband came a day after he met India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, in New Delhi. This marked the first high-level diplomatic engagement between India and the Taliban regime since it took power in Afghanistan in 2021. Despite being under UN sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, Muttaqi was granted a temporary exemption by the UN Security Council Committee for the six-day trip.

During his visit, Muttaqi thanked India for its aid following the recent earthquake in Afghanistan and referred to India as a "close friend." He said the Taliban sought relations based on mutual respect and cooperation.

However, the visit sparked further controversy when his first press conference in India excluded women journalists. Following backlash, a second conference was arranged two days later with female journalists present. Muttaqi later described the initial exclusion as a “technical issue.”