Clash may trigger xenophobia against migrants, fear activists
The Hindu
Company blamed for fractured relation between locals, workers
The clash between the police and migrant workers at Kizhakkambalam may further aggravate the discriminatory treatment of migrant workers across the State, while regionally, it may worsen the fractured relations between local residents and the largely migrant workforce of Kitex Garments.
That a gathering of migrants for an immunisation drive, a routine affair, at Chittethukara on Sunday whipped up uncharacteristic consternation among local residents and people’s representatives and brought the police to the scene was probably a sign of things.
“The extremely deprived migrant community from the Dalit, Adivasi and marginalised sections may become collateral damage to what is a one-off incident. For a State, which may be among the first to experience the fallout of population decline in the country and may have to depend on migration, fuelling such xenophobic sentiments may be counterproductive,” says Benoy Peter, executive director, Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development.
A first-generation entrepreneur, Ramoji Rao is credited with changing the Telugu media landscape launching the Eenadu newspaper with innovative news coverage and page design. Later, he moved into Television launching the ETV as an entertainment channel and also the first 24-hour news channel in Telugu.