With elections around the corner, it is increasingly
becoming evident that the educated, politically aware Kerala population is
leaning more towards religion and caste based identity politics.
It is indeed sad that when other part of the country is
slowly moving towards development oriented debates, the state which was known
for its progressive outlook is going backward.
In Kerala there was always deep caste and communal mindset
but the strong Left moment never allowed it to dictate the political mind map
of the people.But recent developments and opinion polls strongly show this
trend is getting reversed that too with alarming rate. This will have severe
consequence for a state like Kerala.The way the major politicians compete openly for patronage
of Bishops, Imams and other Caste leaders is unprecedented in the state
history.
In a highly politically active state like Kerala, the
political landscape does reflect the Social mindset. There seem to be a
polarization happening along caste and religious lines than never before.The key reason for this is the ideological decline of Left
activism from Kerala. The moderate voices from all religion are moving out from
Left to the corresponding political groups representing their interest.What is striking is that the younger voice which
collectively resist against caste based politics in other parts
of the country is absent in kerala's social limelight.
There may be various reasons for these alarming phenomena
but the most striking and the root cause seem to be the selfish crony
capitalist mind set of the new generation which replaced the deep routed moral
socialistic mindset of the past one, but interestingly the responsibility for
this transition actually lies with the old one who taught money was more
important than anything to their children.
Ones a God's own country is now a God's only country with more emphasis on God and Religion than Humans.