Lok Sabha polls: “We are nobody’s people,” lament fishermen of Kerala

“We are nobody’s people. No politician is interested in helping us improve our lives. We are simply men of the sea or used to be. Everyone comes here only once in five years. This time that too hasn’t happened much,” says Pyaarmon, sitting on Veli beach in Thiruvananthapuram and playing cards with his friends.

Their homes are just behind the impressive St. Thomas Roman Catholic church in Veli and on the beach front. It might evoke images of sun-soaked, beach front properties lines with gardens, but the reality is far from this. The road lining the beach and traversing past their homes is ridden with potholes and the road has no streetlights. Moreover, the beach is strewn with garbage.

And this is just the beginning of their woes, which have no listeners. “We have complained many times for street lamps. That is the least they can do. But every time we go to the ward member, they ask us to write an application and tell us that we have to protest in front of the local politician’s house. How many times can we do that and why should we? Isn’t it the government’s job to light up the street?” asks Dominique, who laments that their community is not an important vote bank for either the UDF, LDF or the BJP.

“Look at the beach, it is strewn with garbage. Because we are just ‘mukkuvanmar’ or fishermen, even the local municipality doesn’t care. We are expected to live in filth. We got around to clean this area. This is in front of our homes. How can we wake up to this?” stresses Francis Antony.

“This is the season for fishing, just before monsoons. Till a few years ago, the haul used to be impressive. We would have to throw some of the catch even. Now, if we go out into the seas, we are hardly able to catch for even ₹500. If we don’t even catch at least enough for our homes, what is the point of wasting our resources. This began to happen after the government allowed the big sea trawlers in this area. They go out into the sea and catch all the big fish leaving nothing. The government did not even think of us before giving them permissions,” explains Antony, who used to go out fishing, but doesn’t any longer as it fetches no returns. Now, many of them work at ISRO as daily wage labourers.

“We haven’t gone out to the sea for more than 10 days now. We are not assured of money, but if we go to ISRO at least we will get the daily wages and we will be able to bring some food home,” stresses Antony. Several of them had even gone to the Middle-East in the hope of a better life, but poor wages and inhuman living conditions were too much to take. “At least here we have our own house, the sea and fresh air to breathe,” says Pyaarmon.

“Everyone forgets that this is our livelihood. We have been fishing for decades. But, now people with big money and boats are taking the little we used to get. This is our sea, we care for it too, but who is there to hear us or listen to our woes,” adds Dominique.

The only thing that gets them perked up is the local English-medium school where they send their children. “It is only education that will hopefully help our children. There is a good CBSE school. My children should speak English. That will help them out of here,” says Antony.

Solomon George is not so sure about it. “I have two daughters and both of them completed the Teachers Training Course. They were told they will get jobs immediately, but then we understood that we will have to pay a bribe for it. We don’t have money to pay, so now my children don’t have any jobs. It makes me sad, but we keep hoping that it will change,” says George with a downcast face.

The fishermen come under scheduled castes and most in the community have been Christians for at least four generations. It is the Roman Catholic Latin church in the area around which a number of their activities are centred. The community is considered to be an UDF stronghold.

And this image subjects them to the ‘Maneka Gandhi brand of politics’, where development of a region is allowed only if you vote for the party. “Since we are considered to be lenient to the UDF, when the LDF government comes, they do absolutely nothing. At least when the UDF councillor was there, workers would come to ensure that the lights worked. We all have daughters who have to walk this lane at night. The LDF government ensures such issues are taken care of in the areas where their supporters are. We don’t have any politics. We just want politicians who will work for our betterment,” emphasised Solomon George.

At least 30 fishermen had taken their boats from here to help during the floods. But, the state government did not help them even repair some of their boats which were damaged during the rescue efforts. “Everyone appreciated us. It felt nice. The government did not do anything for us even then. After Cyclone Ockhi our lives were disrupted,” adds George.

But, this election, there has hardly been any political activity here. It is evident in the absolute lack of party flags, wall scribblings and announcements in the area. There is a lone Congress flag tied on a post almost as an afterthought. The local MP is Shashi Tharoor, who is seeking a third-term. Contesting against him are BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan and CPI’s C Divakar.

“Congress and CPI have come here, but the BJP hasn’t. We heard some announcements stating they will come, but we haven’t seen anyone. What will any of them do anyway? Whoever gets elected, looks after himself and not the electorate,” contended Antony, displaying a disenchantment with politics and politicians.

“Congress has promised us a fisheries department, but we don’t know if it will materialise. TN Prathapan, who is the Chairman of the All India Fishermen Congress, is far away in Thrissur, which is more than 250 km away from the state capital. What does he know of our woes? He has never come here,” says Dominique.

None of them were sure who they will vote for but were sure that they would vote. “Unlike in a few other places, even though there are a few of us with differing ideologies, we never fight. We are like brothers. But, we will quietly go and cast our vote,” says Dominique with the resignation of a person who thinks nothing will change.