Sojan Joseph, who became the first Keralite to become a British MP, feels that if politicians in Kerala are compelled to attend every marriage and funeral in their constituencies, the public should be blamed for it.
"I can't blame politicians if they have to do that. When I attended a few reception meetings here, some of the leaders would whisper in my ears that they have got at least 10 programmes lined up for the day. If you feel that having an MP or MLA attend your son's or daughter's wedding is a matter of prestige, it is a problem with the society,'' said Joseph at the Manorama News Conclave 2024 in a session titled 'The changing face of migration'.
"Inviting a politician to a family function is considered a symbol of power in Kerala. Politicians are helpless, it has become a culture. There is a perception that things work only if we influence politicians. Recently, one of my friends in Birmingham had to ring up the local MLA because the motor used to pump water in his mother's house in Kerala was stolen," he said.
Joseph, a mental health nurse who got elected from a constituency in the UK with 80 per cent native population, wondered whether Kerala had ever fielded a nurse in parliamentary elections.
"Here it is rare to become a professional and then step into politics. I don't remember a nurse being fielded as a candidate in elections in Kerala. There is no hierarchy in the UK for fielding candidates. They would have expertise in diverse sectors and when people from different professions get into administration, it is good," he said.
While admitting that there is a right-wing movement against immigration in Europe, Joseph cited a few instances where people sometimes forget to abide by the laws and system of a country. "When we reached the UK, we would obey their laws without compromise. Of late, there is a different trend. On August 15, around 100-150 people rode bikes, waving Indian flag, honking horns and flashing lights through the streets of the UK. It was a way of celebrating Independence Day. Some people hitch up mundu and walk along the street in London. They would be doing so for shooting reels, but there are laws in the UK which we have to obey," he said.
Joseph said his foray into politics in the UK was driven by a sense of change. "During our initial days in the UK, we absorbed their culture and taught them good facets of our culture. Then our numbers rose, and we shrank to ourselves. I thought that if we became isolated, it wouldn't be good for future generations. Also working as a psychiatric nurse, I realised that people needed help, and I decided to enter politics," he said.
