Aizawl: The Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP), the apex women’s organisation in Mizoram, on Thursday denounced the use of women’s attire to insult others, saying such acts degraded women and were incompatible with a modern, civilised and progressive society.The statement came amid a political row over a protest organised by the Mizoram Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) against chief minister Lalduhoma’s comments on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system and the Mizo Peace Accord. During the protest, Congress workers displayed a morphed image of chief minister Lalduhoma wearing a skirt to portray him as a coward.Speaking at a news conference, MHIP leaders said recent incidents in which women’s clothing was used to mock political opponents, along with derogatory remarks against women, caused deep anguish among Mizo women.They said according to an old Mizo custom, a man was expected to defend his community and shoulder family responsibilities. A man who abandoned those duties or fled from battle was once derisively described as “pawnfen fentir tlak,” meaning “fit only to wear a woman’s skirt.”The organisation, however, said such attitudes belonged to the past and had no place in contemporary society.MHIP said the status of women in Mizoram advanced considerably and that portraying women’s clothing or femininity as a symbol of weakness or cowardice was unacceptable. “Political criticism or satire should never be expressed by humiliating women or using women’s attire as an object of ridicule,” the organisation said, urging political parties and the public to ensure such incidents were not repeated.It said social media enabled such incidents to quickly reach audiences beyond Mizoram. “It not only demeans Mizo women but can also offend women from other communities and tarnish the image of our society,” MHIP said.The organisation also appealed to the public to respect traditional Mizo attire, particularly Puanbih and GI-tagged textiles such as Puanchei, Tawlhlohpuan, Hmar-am, Ngotekherh and Pawndum. It said the protected textiles should be used only for their intended cultural purposes and not as tablecloths, wall decorations or coffin covers, in accordance with govt guidelines.
