Adimali: The extempore, both English and Malayalam categories, saw students debating interesting topics with insight expected at their level in category III which covers high school classes. For Malayalam category the topic was ‘migrant labourers and Kerala’ and in English — ‘what you will do for the nation if you are given 24 hours to rule’. The children mainly pointed laziness and aversion to blue collar jobs among Malayalees as reasons for so many migrant labourers thronging the state. Interestingly, many repeated the clichéd “God’s own country’ to refer to Kerala. They also cited Kerala as migrant labourer’s Gulf. Some had aversion to migrant labourers whom they cited as the main reason for the rise in crimes in Kerala pointing to Jisha and Soumya murder cases.
Some cited it because of what they named ‘thozhilirippu padhathi’ (idling with jobs). One speaker questioned employing them in hotels threatening health and hygiene of the people but acknowledged that exploitation of such labourers is rampant here. One girl pointed out that many labourers work here without proper records which is a threat to the society while another speaker said that because of this they are not able to exchange their old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes for new ones landing them in financial crisis.
Another speaker said that they are a threat to our culture. Some of the speakers said that we are one nation and hence should not make any discrimination between Keralites and non-Keralites. One stat put out by a speaker was that Rs 4 crore is taken out by Bengalis alone per year from the state. The topic on becoming 24-hour ruler had some impressive speakers who belted out their dream of a new India. Many were seen latching on to the words of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who inspired children like none before. Writing off poor farmers debts and implementing Gadgil report, ending religious discrimination, making India clean, woman empowerment and promoting organic farming were all on their agenda. One contestant hilariously rued that 24 hours is too less a time to make a dramatic change.
