A woman employee in an electronics showroom in Kozhikode city has been forced to go on leave after she appeared for job wearing a ‘japamala’ worn by Sabarimala pilgrims.
The Asanghatitha Meghala Thozhilali Union had taken up the issue with the management upon rumours that she was sacked for being on penance as a precursor to her pilgrimage to Sabarimala. The management at first claimed that they were believers of Ayyappa and were not ready to tolerate a woman going on the pilgrimage. When the union leaders intervened, the management claimed that she was not their employee, but worked for an electronics products manufacturer and was designated to the showroom for demonstration of their products.
Employer’s version
The regional office of the manufacturer said she was asked to ‘stay away for her own safety’ until the violence surrounding the issue died down. “The office told us that she will be retained as their employee and that salary will be paid even for the time she had stayed away,” said P. Viji, State secretary of the union. The woman has not registered any complaints.
