Imphal, September 28: Former MP and social activist Kim Gangte has today called upon the women folk of the State to introspect and question why they continue to be subjected to the male counterpart.

Addressing a Women Leadership Training Programme at Pallel today, the former MP, said that women should question themselves on why they are being denied their due place in society.

Elaborating, Gangte said, "We are all suffering.

We need to soul search and introspect on our duty and responsibility".

Hitting the nail on the head, Kim said, even today, it is almost always the mother who prefers a son to a daughter.

"Why are the mothers giving preference to the sons," she queried and added that the women folk need to seriously ponder over this question to balance the status and position of men and women in society.

Speaking from the heart, the former MP said that very often, women are given their due rights and in case a woman fails to deliver a son, the husband invariably takes on a second wife.

The tragedy is the second wife willing becomes the second wife.

"Isn't it a case of women violating the rights and dignity of another woman," questioned Kim Gangte?.

"For women to strengthen themselves, they need to develop a broader outlook," said Kim and added that for every sone killed, whether he is a militant, a security personnel or someone else, the same sentiments run through all the mothers irrespective of their community affiliations.

"Therefore women should come out from the narrow definition of communal affiliations and see women as one all over the world.

There should be two communities, men's community and women's community," she philosophised.

Earlier in the day, the women who had come to participate in the leadership meet organised by All Tribal Women's Organisation, Chandel Districtput up a number of issues.

The women said that the customary laws, which deny the daughters to inherit their fathers' property should be abolished.

More importantly, the women folk also said that it is high time that 33 pc reservations for women are made in the District Councils, in line with the Panchayati Raj.

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