May the sparkle in Ammalu Amma’s eyes live on
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Among the thousands of people who gathered to witness V. D. Satheesan taking oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala, along with his cabinet, was also an elderly woman, Seethalakshmi Ammal, who had come from Paravur, the Chief Minister’s constituency. She arrived at the ceremony carrying memories of the relief work and care extended by Satheesan during the 2018 floods. Speaking to the media, she said that Satheesan, who affectionately called her “Ammalu Amma”, had helped her build a house, supported her in every possible way, and always stood by her. She added that he was not merely like a son to her, but truly her own son. When Ammalu Amma reached the stage, “her son” embraced her warmly, after which she returned home having received his greetings and blessings.
Not only Ammalu Amma, but the government too, through its very first cabinet decision, has announced the formation of a Department for the Elderly, expressing its willingness to embrace every senior citizen in Kerala. The Chief Minister said that the manner in which a society treats and protects its elderly should serve as a benchmark of its social progress, and that the practices of Japan—where elderly welfare is implemented in the most effective manner—will be studied and adapted here. His words that the department carries an almost dream-like vision reflect a sense of sincerity. In our country, the number of people denied dignity and self-respect in the final phase of life is steadily increasing. The National Crime Records Bureau, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in its Crime in India 2024 report released earlier this month, has recorded a worrying rise in crimes against senior citizens. Since many of these incidents originate within households—the very spaces from which humiliation and abuse emerge—fewer than one in a hundred cases are actually reported. There are also situations in Kerala where parents who once raised their children with care are later abandoned, forced to sleep on the streets, or compelled to spend the final phase of their lives in old-age homes, completing their life cycle in distress. This is happening not because of the absence of a separate department or insufficient laws, but because society has lost the awareness that such actions are unworthy of being called human. With the functioning of the newly formed Department for the Elderly—the first of its kind in the country—if the envisioned initiatives are implemented in the manner the Chief Minister has proposed, there remains hope that such conditions can be corrected. May we be able to initiate yet another “Kerala Model” by ensuring healthcare, dignity, peace, and happiness for the elderly.
The announcement that the election promise of free travel for women on KSRTC buses will come into effect from June 15, along with the decision to increase the wages of ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and cooking staff, stands as proof that Kerala is not an ungrateful society. “Every file has a life attached to it” — these words of Pinarayi Vijayan, spoken when he assumed office as Chief Minister ten years ago and later reminded officials of at the Secretariat, still echo in the ears of Malayalis. Yet, what became of that sentiment? The file related to the incident in which youth leaders protesting during the Chief Minister’s ‘Nava Kerala Yatra’ were allegedly assaulted by police officers, including gunmen, and in connection with which the Alappuzha Magistrate Court on November 8, 2024, ordered a re-investigation, remained dust-covered and untouched until yesterday. The first cabinet meeting has now also decided to appoint a special investigation team to probe the assault.
Every government comes to power carrying a thousand expectations. The United Democratic Front government, which has returned to power after a decade, carries the burden of immense expectations. While efforts have been made to ensure representation for various social sections in the cabinet, certain groups have been left out. The inclusion of two ministers from the Scheduled Caste community is noteworthy, but the absence of representation from the Scheduled Tribe community remains a clear shortcoming.
There is also no representation from the Latin Catholic community. It goes without saying how important power-sharing is for the empowerment of backward communities. Among the 21 ministers, there is not a single representative from the districts of Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta. The Chief Minister and each minister must pay special attention to ensuring that the voices of underrepresented communities and regions are heard and accorded due consideration.
The people voted with the hope of ensuring a Kerala free from communal divisions, caste-based atrocities, sectarian unrest, political conflicts, police excesses, encounter killings, honour killings, and mob lynchings; a Kerala where women and children are not subjected to violence and where social justice is not undermined. May the new government succeed in fulfilling those promises and transforming them into reality. Let there emerge a Kerala where Ammalu Ammas smile with tears of joy in their eyes.