Kerala a 'communist' state

Kerala is considered to be one of the first places where communists have come to power through free and fair elections. And what have they accomplished so far? Kerala has become one of the most industrially backward states of India. Keralites depend on the non-communist states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for anything and everything. Even  agricultural production has come down drastically.

Many  people have become more lazy and indolent. They do not want to do any hard work and  have become very arrogant and non co-operative as they are protected by the militant trade unions. They have been taught to clamor for their rights, benefits, allowances and better working conditions. They have also been groomed to shout slogans, go for processions shouting them for hours (even days) denouncing their employers or clamoring for their rights. They are not willing to relate wage increase with output. No one wants to be held accountable.

Kerala would become a state of beggars if the remittances of those working beyond its borders and abroad stopped sending money all on a sudden.   The educational priority of the former rulers and the institutions established by the foreign missionaries are churning out thousands of graduates and post graduates who go abroad, find jobs, earn and send money home.

The main work of the socialist governments here has been to collect taxes and distribute the same to the non-productive and ever increasing state employees. Almost 75% of the state revenue goes for the salaries, benefits and pension, many of whom do very little. These employees who are fed by the tax payers have to be bribed by the latter to get a birth certificate or any such document. Even a college teacher (who gets anything between Rs.75,000 and 100,000) is not accountable; there is hardly any review or assessment of his work. Holidays are aplenty: they are declared for flimsy reasons. The ‘Bandhs’ and ‘harthals’are in effect  holidays too. The government is not concerned with employment generation by increasing industries; everyone wants to get a government job as it ensures a comfortable  life with a good pay, life-long pension and plenty of holidays.  

Just like any other state which has embraced communism Kerala  has regressed too.   communism has stifled the  agricultural production of the state. Agrarian workers have become organized and no farmer can afford them. Further, the workers demand work by force –as practiced  by the head load laborers –and they will work at a price fixed by them! Nobody is willing to do the available work, and hence workers from other states flow in to do the manual labour.  Many Keralites prefer to be paid for no work if possible.   

Yes there has been some resemblance of a social change. The old landowners have been made poor peasants; the working class and the politicians have become rich and powerful. Industrialists are discouraged and even now profit making is considered a sin! How can any nation progress without employing the principles of free economy and industrial growth? In Kerala we find red flags flying aloft as soon as a land is acquired for an industry.  And the entrepreneurs wisely keep off. It is a sorry state of affairs indeed!