A construction site across our house at R.K. Puram in Delhi drew my attention. A toddler, left to his own devices, was playing with a broken bat, while his mother balanced heavy loads of cement on her head and made it to and fro, over and over again. The little one’s eyes lit up and his dusty countenance broke into the happiest smile I had ever seen, as he extended his grimy hands for the biscuits I offered. I bent down to pat his cheeks and hug his tiny frame.
Migrants come with dreams of a better life and hopes for a secure future for themselves and their families. Yet, very often, they are vulnerable to risks and hazards, with poor healthcare, housing and sanitation. A crucial labour force, they abound in India’s major urban conglomerates, often engaged in menial jobs, with scant income and no social security, in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad.
A recent Kerala Planning Board projection says that by 2030, 60 lakh migrants will be there in Kerala and eight years hence, they will constitute one-sixth of the State’s population. Perhaps, it’s time to integrate them into mainstream society. The Kerala government’s Awaz health insurance scheme is a step forward. Apna Ghar, the State government’s residential project for migrant workers, provides safe, hygienic and affordable accommodation. Such migrant-centric policies, strategies and institutional support will go a long way in ensuring their inclusive growth and development.
Fear of the new
Today, there is an exaggerated national sentiment and pride, a fierce patriotism with a resultant xenophobia and a fear of change. There is an apprehension of one’s culture getting tainted and values becoming corrupted and eroded. These fears lead to distrust, anxiety and suspicion, which, in turn, spill over and are translated into adverse policies. Promises are made to wall off borders, secure the nation, curb the inflow of migrants and deport undocumented immigrants. Migrants who arrived as children and settled for generations are questioned and asked to return to their place of origin.
Why, we wonder, is a prejudiced eye cast on migrants? Migrants are seen as a potential threat to resources, and a competition to the local labour market.
There is unease among local people about physical security, not to mention terror concerns. But have we not pushed migrants to the margins of society as their fundamental right to life with dignity and right to freedom of movement remains compromised?
Every Indian felt fractured and diminished at the heart-rending sight of millions of terrified migrants fleeing cities during the first lockdown. Their daily wages evaporated and their survival was at stake. Reminiscent of the nightmare of Partition, which saw 15 million displaced, this too remains forever etched in the pages of history.
The backbone of our industry, migrants fill gaps in demand for labour. Their financial remittances to their home State increase consumer expenditure and investment in health, education and asset formation. Their exposure and interaction enhances knowledge and skills. New customs, culture and language, along with employment chances and economic security, improve the quality of social life. Migrants reinforce and enrich the values of our rich diversity which makes us, as a country, what we are. Every State ought to welcome immigrants and give them a sense of belonging and free them from social bias.
Far from posing a threat, they reinvigorate our cultural fabric and strengthen our democracy. Casting aside ignorance and alienation, bonds need to be forged in a wholesome, productive synergy. Our culture has always been a shifting kaleidoscope. What has remained constant is the sanctity of our values, a common trust in liberty, justice and the simple quest for happiness. This is how out of many, we become one.
Diversity contributes to our economic vitality. Celebrate it. The camaraderie and joyous attempts at learning and communicating in each other’s language is so palpable each time I enter a supermarket in Thiruvananthapuram. One can see the initial discomfort, the “us” vs “them” binary, melt away, giving way to shared responsibility and zest. Today’s divisive political environment need not vitiate the atmosphere of mutual cooperation and understanding. Standing shoulder to shoulder, migrants and locals can infuse fresh energy into achieving progress.
jayachan2020@gmail.com
