A Construction site across our house at RK Puram in Delhi caught my eye. A toddler, left to his own devices, played with a broken bat, while his mother balanced heavy loads of cement on her head and rocked back and forth, over and over. The little one’s eyes lit up and his dusty face broke into the happiest smile I’ve ever seen, as he held out his filthy hands for the cookies I offered. I leaned down to pat her cheeks and squeeze her little body.

Migrants arrive with dreams of a better life and hope for a secure future for themselves and their families. Yet very often they are vulnerable to risks and hazards, with poor health care, housing and sanitation. An essential workforce, they abound in India’s large urban conglomerates, often engaged in menial jobs, on low incomes and without social security, in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmedabad.

A recent projection by the Kerala Planning Board indicates that by 2030, 60 lakh migrants will be there in Kerala and in eight years they will constitute one sixth of the state’s population. It may be time to integrate them into mainstream society. Kerala government 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. These migrant-centric policies, strategies and institutional supports will go a long way towards ensuring their inclusive growth and development.

fear of the new

Today there is exaggerated national feeling and pride, fierce patriotism with resulting xenophobia and fear of change. There is apprehension that its culture is tainted and its values ​​corrupted and eroded. These fears lead to distrust, anxiety and suspicion, which in turn spill over and result in unfavorable policies. Promises are made to wall off the borders, to secure the nation, to curb the influx of migrants and to expel the undocumented. Migrants who arrived as children and settled for generations are interviewed and invited to return to their place of origin.

Why, we ask ourselves, a preconceived eye on migrants? Migrants are seen as a potential threat to resources and competition for the local labor market.

There is unease among locals about physical security, not to mention concerns about terrorism. But have we not pushed migrants to the margins of society while their fundamental right to live in dignity and their right to freedom of movement remain compromised?

Every Indian felt fractured and diminished at the heartbreaking sight of millions of terrified migrants fleeing the cities during the first lockdown. Their daily wages evaporated and their survival was at stake. Reminiscent of the nightmare of the Partition, which saw 15 million people displaced, this too remains forever etched in the pages of history.

The backbone of our industry, migrants fill gaps in labor demand. Their remittances to their home state increase consumer spending and investment in health, education, and asset formation. Their exposure and interaction improves knowledge and skills. New customs, culture and language, as well as job prospects and economic security, improve the quality of social life. Migrants reinforce and enrich the values ​​of our rich diversity that makes us, as a country, who we are. Each state must welcome immigrants, give them a sense of belonging and free them from social prejudice.

Far from posing a threat, they reinvigorate our cultural fabric and strengthen our democracy. Beyond ignorance and alienation, links must be forged in a healthy and productive synergy. Our culture has always been a moving kaleidoscope. What has remained constant is the sanctity of our values, a shared trust in freedom, justice and the simple pursuit of happiness. This is how from many we become one.

Diversity contributes to our economic vitality. Celebrate it. The camaraderie and joyful attempts to learn and communicate in each other’s language is so palpable every time I walk into a supermarket in Thiruvananthapuram. You can see the initial unease, the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ binary melt away, giving way to shared responsibility and enthusiasm. Today’s divisive political environment should not vitiate the atmosphere of cooperation and mutual understanding. Side by side, migrants and locals can breathe new life into progress.

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