Gautham S By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It’s payback time. As many as 43 guest workers in the state have expressed their gratitude for the love and respect the state has shown to them. In a moving gesture, these coconut pluckers from Chhattisgarh contributed Rs 52,000 to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) on Monday. The government’s referring to migrant labourers as ‘guest workers’ has brought in a lot of praise and set an example for other states on how to treat them.

These 43 employees of CompuTech, a private agency in the city which provides coconut pluckers, decided to pay back by contributing to the fund.CompuTech contributed a total of Rs 78,000 to the relief fund, with Rs 26,000 donated by P Mohandas, an ex-serviceman and proprietor of the company. “My labourers approached me when I decided to donate my one month’s pension amount to the relief fund. They said they too want to contribute as Kerala is like their home.

They told me that they made a good livelihood after coming to Kerala and the people here have always treated them with love and respect. They built houses, bought plots of land, and vehicles from the earning they made here. So they knew this is the time they have to show their love for Kerala,” said Mohandas.

Mohandas decided to contribute to the fund after some teachers burnt copies of the government order on the cut in the salaries of the state government employees.

“It was disheartening. At the same time, we heard the chief minister mentioning about small children contributing from their savings and a 60-year-old lady selling her goats to contribute to the relief fund. That was inspiring and I decided to donate my one month’s pension. I was so happy when my labourers joined the cause.”

The cheques were handed over to Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. “They were very excited as they were seeing a minister this close for the first time. They also handed over a letter that stated ‘Go forward, CM, we are with you’.” Though the labourers were devoid of work for the first 10-15 days after the lockdown was declared, all are now back to work after being granted special permission. “They are working enthusiastically. The only thing troubling them is the closure of restaurants and wayside eateries,” said Mohandas.