A young man wearing a Khaki uniform walking down the street of Taliparamba has a broad smile on his face when he meets his Santhosh maaman (uncle). He greets the other man in a heavily accented Malayalam, much different than the way the local people speak. Meet Comrade Jagath (Jagannath) from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, one of the several lakhs of Guest Workers who have come to Kerala in search of a better livelihood. Santhosh Maaman is the Taliparamba area Secretary of the CPI-M.
CPI-M Bahut Pasand hai Mujhko (I like CPI-M very much), says Jagannath. Area committee office feels like my home. I attend every party programme. I am CPI-M Thaliarambu town branch member and Red Volunteer for 23rd Party Congress, he added. A coffee house worker, he became a party member in 2017.
It has been a year since Jagannath visited home. He wants to bring back his family from Odisha and to admit his daughter in state board schools here where the LDF Government has ensured children get world class education.
Not just Jagannath, CPI-M Kanalkkara branch member Mousami Das came to Pinarayi 15 years ago from West Bengal. She has bought land and settled here with her family of five. We feel extremely safe here. Whenever we are in need of help, party workers are there. Party also gives prominence to women, says Mousami.
CPI-M party congress is a first time experience for 24 year old Ravisingh. He and his family came from UP 10 years ago. He became a party member at the age of 18 and now is the secretary of DYFI
Guest Workers, not Migrant Labourers
Like Jagannath, Mousami Das and Ravisingh, the around 25 lakh people who have come to the Gods own Country from other states are Guest Workers for the people of the state, not Migrant Labourers. Deeply influenced by the example set by the CPI-M led LDF Government, people embrace them to their own circle. As a result, here they enjoy a life of inclusion and comradeship, entirely different from the alienation in the name of caste, creed, class and religion they have suffered in their own states.
The LDF government had implemented a broad range of programmes for the welfare of the guest workers for the past six years.Major steps were taken to ensure their inclusion into the mainstream society. A housing scheme called Apna Ghar was introduced for him and the fist housing complex was opened in Palakkad.The project will be extended to Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Trivandrum in near future. Aalaya and Guest worker friendly residents in Kerala have also been implemented as a part of the government's 100 days programme.
The aid in case of death has been increased from Rs. 10,000 to 25,000. The Families of those who die at the workplace would be given an aid of 2 lakhs.
