Summary
The right to vote; is the first right as a citizen. By Pravasi bill; that gives the scope for right to vote for a NRI, Kerala would be the state that will have the highest impact in its socio-cultural setup.
We may generalize the non-residents of Kerala into NRIs, and NRKs, 25% of Pravasis are in other state of India (NRKs) while 70% works in GCC. The NRIs from Kerala in GCC are estimated to be 30lakhs. Though geographically or politically alien, Kerala soon become an integral part of the socio-cultural and economic spectrum of the GCC. NRIs sacrifice their family life and also spare every penny they earn to send it back home. All socio-political organizations consider the Gulf as a confirmed destination for fund collection. NRI’s never upset any such fund collection efforts.
Even though both central and state governments have started some welfare measures for NRIs, NRIs have not been able to experience these measures. Our own state government’s department and NORKA ROOTS efforts are also appreciatable. The welfare fund and pension scheme for NRKs bill, which the Kerala legislative assembly passed, is such a strong bold step.
This backdrop enhances the relevance of this Pravasi bill for the right to vote. The right to vote will be a catalyst in kindling this spirit and political hopes for NRIs. 30 lakhs of NRIs and a direct influence of more than 10 million; NRIs will turn out to be the most influential community in our state politics. They will decide who rules Kerala.
Leaders, who visit industrialists and businessman in the gulf with hope for notes, will now be forced to visit labour camps and the flats of the working class with hope for votes. Every political organization will begin to seriously consider the problems and welfare of NRI’s.
Based on their experience from fast development measure that those governments take; NRIs actually have developed some sort of disrespectful pity when they talk about our political system. Now their method of socializing is different. Rather than political or cultural elements, such social consortiums are more based on a much more confined identity. Political issues are absent in such consortiums. Presence of social websites like Orkut etc strengthens the operations of such consortiums with other consortiums in similar line. In due course of time; we will experience such consortiums gain enough strength to confederate and evolve as a new political entity. This common identity for one crore of malayalees will definitely turn out to be the deciding factor in Kerala politics.ഫുള് ടെക്സ്റ്റ്:The central government of India has now reached at a consensus in passing the pravasi bill, as per the recommendation of the subcommittee under our cabinet Minister for defence Sri A K Antony. When this bill, that gives the scope for right to vote for a NRI, gets passed; it will be a completion for a long awaited and well-deserved demand. The right to vote; is the first right as a citizen. Finally, these citizens are now going to enjoy more political justice; which they; more than really; deserve. This is going to be an ‘asserting‘ step for our democracy to the world as well. Kerala would be the state that will have the highest impact in its socio-cultural setup, by this bill.
‘Pravasi’ is defined as persons and their families who live and work abroad their home state. We may generalize the non-residents of Kerala into NRIs, and NRKs, 25% of Pravasis are in other state of India (NRKs) while 70% works in GCC. The NRIs from Kerala in GCC are estimated to be 30lakhs. Most of them are unskilled labour. Professionals and skilled labour only constitute a minority. All of NRKs in GCC, hopes, they also send in every penny of their earnings. The rest 5% of NRKs, who basically live in Europe and America Hopes to stay back, rather than come back when compared to their counterparts in GCC.
Emigration from Kerala to GCC began during the end 60’s. 80’s became the peak period of emigration. Those enthusiastic emigrants surpassed all barriers and blended perfectly into those economic systems. Especially in fields like construction, trading and other service sectors, NRIs became inevitable. Those honest and trustworthy NRIs were also able to win the confidence of the rulers and citizens of those nations. Though geographically or politically alien, Kerala soon become an integral part of the socio-cultural and economic spectrum of the GCC. Today, indicators of even small issues in our state are quite visible over there. Insignificant issues like by-elections to a panchayat ward or a club anniversary celebration are good enough for initiating discussions amongst NRIs of GCC.
Studies by different agencies reveal that an annual contribution of 8500 billion INR are made by NRIs into our state. This means a minimum of 100 billion INR worth revenue as direct taxes. And how much percentage of this do we allocate for their benefits? ......
We can observe that change in the life style of NRKs have triggered changes in Kerala. Every town of Kerala has the styling and aesthetics of a city. Modernized residences, shopping malls, restaurants, high end cars, etc are very much common in these towns. This is unique for Kerala. Every local market of Kerala does provide all those lifestyle products that NRKs are well versed with.
NRIs sacrifice their family life and also spare every penny they earn to send it back home. Instead of acknowledging their sacrifices, we kept on classifying them as guaranteed financial resources for different types of organizations. Despite all these, nobody is inclined even to discuss about their welfare. Even our statisticians are weak enough to identify the exact number of NRIs. Do not forget, we have got precise numbers of animals nearing extinction. We still do not know the number of imprisoned Malayalees in the Gulf. Shouldn’t we be ashamed of ourselves and of the incompetence of our government machinery? And this does not stop here.
For instance, we boast of giving reservation for NRI students in colleges and still over change them. Shouldn’t we be ashamed of terming it as ‘Reservation’? Governments were always in as race to increase their fees. NRI’s considers this act as a reflection of how our society considers them.
Libraries, sports clubs and Party offices of our villages, all will have the scent of our NRK’s hard earned money. All socio-political organizations consider the Gulf as a confirmed destination for fund collection. NRI’s never upset any such fund collection efforts. Every such organization is actually misusing the nostalgic memories of NRIs and subjects them to irreverent exploitation. All of those organizations are successful in attaining their targets. They might also perform one or two vocal exercise of Pravasi welfare, just for the sake of the scene. Apart from that, nobody cares about those candles in the wind, which willfully burns out to give light their loved ones lives.
Even though both central and state governments have started some welfare measures for NRIs, NRIs have not been able to experience these measures. And the one’s they experienced where is reality like ‘Pravasi divas’ is nothing but an avoidable national agency extravaganza. After Vayalar Revi entered the office of NRI affairs, a few commendable efforts have been initiated. Our own state government’s department and NORKA ROOTS efforts are also appreciatable. The welfare fund and pension scheme for NRKs bill, which the Kerala legislative assembly passed, is such a strong bold step. As an NRI myself, I am very much honored and satisfied to be an active partner in devising and approving this bill.
This backdrop enhances the relevance of this Pravasi bill for the right to vote. Lets hope our embassies will turn out to be polling booths where our citizens can use their passports as identity cards and exercise their votes soon. Several countries that provide universal franchise do use this method. If this turns to be reality, then the political scenario will get affected heavily.
Now parties concentrate on eliminating NRIs from voters list. Instead of that, they will be concentrating on including them. When chances to endorse one’s view in one’s motherland’s democracy become a reality; when they are finely getting back their long due respect; a new hope, a revelation of their identity, all will begin to spring up and create a new discovered spirit.
The right to vote will be a catalyst in kindling this spirit and political hopes for NRIs. 30 lakhs of NRIs and a direct influence of more than 10 million; NRIs will turn out to be the most influential community in our state politics. They will decide who rules Kerala. No political party will be able to afford to ignore them.
In the near future, we will be seeing NRIs flying down, to vote as well as to contest in the different tiers only of our government. Leaders, who visit industrialists and businessman in the gulf with hope for notes, will now be forced to visit labour camps and the flats of the working class with hope for votes. Every political organization will begin to seriously consider the problems and welfare of NRI’s.
In conjunction to various socio-cultural organizations, almost 1000 units of different organization are estimated to be in operation in the GCC. These units are perceived by NRI’s as an event organization committee; interested only in giving reception to the various visiting committees or for festival celebration or for basic media presence. NRIs have lost faith of these paper-organizations in actually becoming a solution provider for their difficulties. The failing story of subsidiaries of organization must also be read with the new trend in socializing.
Based on their experience from fast development measure that those governments take; NRIs actually have developed some sort of disrespectful pity when they talk about political system. With great despair, they do end those talks with closures like “Our tremendous tomorrow will never come”.
The new trend in socializing is that of micro-communities. Rather than political or cultural elements, such social consortiums are more based on a much more confined identity. Political issues are absent in such consortiums. In fact, vigorous attempts of depoliticize such consortiums are prevalent. These consortiums of 100-200 people are now very active; due to the identity they are aligned to (for e.g.; workers in Jeddah from a village like Mankada). Now such consortiums take up most of the local issues. Presence of social websites like Orkut etc strengthens the operations of such consortiums with other consortiums in similar line. In due course of time; we will experience how the global experience of such NRIs gains enough strength to confederate such consortiums and evolve as a new political entity. This common identity for one crore of malayalees will definitely turn out be the deciding factor in Kerala politics.
Such a drift in our political system, a new awakening of earning people, will only turn out to be prosperous for all of our system.
