KOCHI: Joy Alukkas, chairman of the Joyalukkas Jewellery, said that one of the main problems facing Kerala is not its politics but the people here. He said that when someone comes with a project, they try to block it. When we were about to start a palliative care centre for the people here, the locals blocked it. He said that this is in our genes.

He was responding to a YouTube channel while participating in the Kerala Investment Summit. Joy Alukkas, which has 120 jewellery chains in India, has only 10 in Kerala. He also revealed the reason for this.

Words of Joy Alukkas:

'If someone tries to bring something, the attitude is to block it somehow. There is nothing else in it. It is the problem of our people. In 2002, I came to Kerala and started a few jewellery shops. That's when I realised that this wasn't the right place for us. That's why I changed. Today I have 120 showrooms in India. Only 10 are in Kerala. Since I went outside Kerala then, I was saved.

I have a lot of opportunities outside Kerala. Instead of building a hospital in Thrissur, I can build it in Tamil Nadu. But, as a native of Thrissur, I feel called to do something for my city. But now the situation is changing. There are lots of opportunities in Kerala. There are educated children. Everyone is going out.

Our children have scope only if they go out. Opportunities are few here. We have a society that is standing as a hindrance to everything. As long as there is no change in this tendency, if someone brings a project, there will be people ready to block it. This is not politics. Even the neighbours will oppose it. I would say to the children who wants to go out of Kerala, to go out and save themselves,' said Joy Alukkas.