Sensing an opportunity created by Karnataka’s self-goal (the proposed reservation for locals), Kerala’s Industries minister lost no time in inviting businesses to move to Kerala.
And it was a truly heartening to hear that but here is a backstory.
25 years ago, when I first landed in Kerala, Palakkad district had an industrial park of sorts. And a guy from north India made the mistake of setting up a mattress manufacturing unit.
The militant trade unions then started intimidating and harassing him non-stop. The poor guy was running pillar to post, seeking protection. But one day, the workers even set fire to his godown.
I don’t know what happened ultimately (as I was transferred to another place) but I am sure that the business would have shut down.
For a long time, the political climate in Kerala was so hostile that forget about running a factory — you could not unload a truck without the unions showing up to extort from you. And everybody was helpless. What a shame!
The end result? Most able bodied men from Kerala are now in Middle East for jobs.
I am not against trade unions — they have an important role. But when it becomes an extortion, the price is paid by the coming generations, who have no jobs.
Politicians knew this. But it was easier to provoke people than to solve problems.
The job of a leader is to tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Their job is to preach sanity, spread love, and foster harmony — not spread hate, fear, and suspicion.
That is the real test of leadership, not just how many votes you got.
– Rajan