Pics by: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)
Mangaluru, Mar 9: We, Triums (Malayalis, Mangalureans and Madrasis) have conquered the world due to our migrating nature," said Hemacharya, editor-in-chief of Daijiworld weekly.
He addressed the inaugural function of the one day national seminar on 'Dimensions of distress migration in south India and right to work' at St Aloysius College premises on Tuesday March 8 after inaugurating it.
"During independence, Muslims went to Pakistan and most of the Hindus came to India. But the Sindhis did not have land to live in or land they could call their own. Even today they do not have a homeland. So they migrated towards the Middle East. If we go to Oman, we will find that most of the companies are owned by Sindhis. These companies even today stand as a remembrance of migration," he said reflecting the effects of migration on various communities.
What I have witnessed is, migrants are people who are adventurers. They are strong and hard working.
We find migrants even in Mangaluru. But we Mangalureans travel to the Middle East and we cherish working there. We work 16-17 hours and earn our bread. I do not know why that does not happen here. Since a few decades, the Middle East has been a land for migrants or a receiving country like we find Mangaluru today. It has been attracting people from all corners of the world.
People even today, from the time of Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama have been scared of triums. Malayalis, Mangalureans and Madrasis have conquered the world due to their migrating nature. This is what we should be proud of. We were the ones to migrate from this country at first. We were made to work hard for others as well as for ourselves.
Migrants are the ones who have no fear. They are not scared of anyone. They are aggressive. Migration makes us tough. I am proud to say that I became successful in life only because of migration.
Our attitude towards migrants must be positive. Because of them our people can travel out of here. They do our work. How many of us know how to make Panipuri? This is what they are for us. Let us talk to them. This is what we can do for them.
Why I am saying this is because, we were abused and we faced various kinds of brutality. We were called dirty Indians. But the migrants we find here are our own. They are our fellow Indians. If we chase them out of here, then tomorrow when we move to Bengaluru they may drive us away. A day will come when there will be no Malbaris, Biharis or others. The world will transform into a global village and people will recognise themselves by the place they are residing in at that time possibly a hundred years from now and we may not live to that day.
Principal of the college Fr Swebert D'Silva, HOD of economics department Dr Norbert Lobo, Fr Martin Puducheri from Indian Social Institute, Bengaluru were present at the occasion.