Imphal, December 31: Ordinary womenfolk who are really concerned about the issues of the State can only lead the women�s movement in Manipur to the right direction, Prof Naorem Joykumar has stated.

Making his observation as moderator of the seminar held on the theme of ��Ideal principles of women in Manipur� organised under the aegis of Leimakon in connection with the 16th Nupigi Fidam Firepnaba Numit observance, Prof Joykumar of History Department, Manipur University said Manipuri women-folks have been always at the forefront of various social issues since ancient time.

�Manipuri womenfolk have launched Nupi Lan against the British empire.

Womenfolk of that age are illiterate yet they have a deep sense of patriotism and the will to fight against social injustice.

They were sincere and trusted each other�, he said.

However, he added, today, there are many Manipuri women who are educated and some of them are even holding important posts of the Government.

But because of their commitment to the Government service, they cannot concentrate on the issues of the State.

On the contrary, uneducated women are taking part in various issues of the State, he noted, adding that though the womenfolk have the power, they do not know how to utilise it.

Speaking on the myth of Goddess Panthoibi, Prof Joykumar pointed out it shows that women have their own desires and rights and there is the need to ensure their freedom and identity in the society.

On the other hand, the myth of Goddess Emoinu emphasises on a patriarchal social setup wherein modesty of women is counted as the ultimate virtue.

The seminar was held in two session.

In the first session, Dr LC Tejbati of Moreh College read out paper on portrayal of Manipur womenfolks in the myth, legend and in history and Prof Kh Gokulchandra of DM College of Arts on role of women in protecting/preserving the culture and identity.

In the second session, Prof N Joykumar of History Department, Manipur University and LC Jenial Meetei of Human Rights Alert on position of women in armed conflict zone.

The second session was held with National awardee Gunachandra as moderator.

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