For about a week, the Kerala vernacular dailies and TV channels are having a field time. They are behind the story of Santhosh Madhavan alias Swami Amrita Chaitanya. Having plenty of masala, the stories of his fraudulent activities, get rich quick methodologies and his relationship with the higher-ups in politics, cinema and in police are sensationalizing Malayalis (as usual !).
From time to time, plenty of fraudsters had appeared here. They had come in many forms including the NBFC companies, Time Share companies, Jasmine/Teak Plantations, Network companies, Goat/Cow firms…. the list is endless. Most of these nefarious endeavors had received political patronage. In this current case, there are former ministers involved. Political patronage, in turn had resulted in Police patronage. Our friend, a college dropout from an interior village in Idukki, had prospered to a billionaire spiritual person, in less than 8 years. If the press reports are an indication, it looks like Santhosh Swami is involved in shady transactions of above INR 5000 crores. Tremendous!
Like the famous humorist and originator of ‘Ottan Thullal’ Kunjan Nambiar wrote, kanakam (money) and kamini (woman) are interlinked in such cases. Many men and women have been willingly part of it, simply due to the lure of money. But it is always the poor and downtrodden who really suffer out of the misdemeanors of such quick buck fraudsters. The news reports of swami looking after the stay and education of about 8 minor girl students, only to be used for sexual gratification for himself and his ‘highly connected’ friends, are repulsive.
Over the last two decades or so, I have been observing the frequent rush of Malayalis into the waiting hands of swamis, tantrics and God men. Most of them do this out of disappointment in life. Malayali’s expectations have reached unreasonable limits. But he is not willing to sincerely work towards it. Instead, he takes short cuts and quick buck routes, only to lose out in the end. The resultant frustration is what takes him to God men, astrologers, temples, charismatic prayers, group bhajans, evangelism etc. Unreasonable craving and greed can take people only to such directions. To put it bluntly, Kerala is slowly turning into a sick society.
I am deeply worried about the erosion of professionalism in police department. Police is here to look after the law and order. They are here to protect the citizenry from money crazy fraudsters, robbers, terrorists and the like. Instead, one sees, reads and hears stories of senior police officials working as henchmen to fraudsters, unholy God men and corrupts politicians. This is a classical example of fence eating the crop. Any one can imagine what would happen if police and army, who are supposed to protect the citizen, are protecting the criminals instead. This would lead to corruption, nepotism and lawlessness and then to anarchy, and finally to the complete disintegration of the society.
Whither Kerala?
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Take top 10 Malayalees across the world who have reached a level of self actualisation in their lives. I dont know - but Kris Gopalakrishnan, Shashi Tharoor, Capt Krishnan Nair, Dr. PC Alexander, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Yesudas, Krishna Iyer in that league. Invite them to create a thought leadership on how to create a 10 year plan to bring about cultural change in the State.
We need to determine where we want our society to be in the next 5 years of 10 years in terms of intellectual and moral capital.
We need to visualise what the next generation needs and create messages.
The fact is that Malayalis within the state have not reached this point of self actualisation to be benevolent enough to give back to society in terms of radical thoughts, nurturing a second generation of leaders etc. This is the bare truth.
Move to Tamil Nadu or Bangalore, you can find that there are more people who have reached this stage in life and their positive vibrations create an ecosystem for good to develop,mindsets to change resulting in a higher State domestic product.
Your blog is a powerful leveller in this world. But how many malayalees respond to it ? Make sure to take personal criticism and publish all responses without intellectual censoring.
Take the initiative create a global malayalee change community on facebook, Linkedin and create a movement.
Never before in the history of the world has the world been intellectually accesible. If there is a leadership idea, you can spread it like never before.
Kerala is a Sick Society because of Malayalee's lack of Self Esteem.
The generation of AK Antony, VS Achuthanandan were fearless leaders - thanks to them and the values they uphold Kerala has leadership.
The next generation say AK Antony's children, Oommen Chandy's kids - this is where the problem. They look to US or Middle East. Now, is it because they do not want to be in Kerala. Why is Kerala not able to retain this generation ? There is a problem.
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