Widespread protest in Puthuppally over dismissal of veterinary staff, govt denies allegation

Puthuppally: Sathiamma, who was dismissed from the veterinary hospital in Kaithepalam here for allegedly expressing her support for Chandy Oommen on television for the upcoming Puthuppally bypoll, staged a sit-in protest in front of the Puthuppally veterinary sub centre. Opposition leader VD Satheeshan, senior Congress leaders, and Mahila Congress workers accompanied the woman in her protest.

“Was Sathiamma dismissed for speaking good about our beloved Oommen Chandy? Doesn't she have the freedom to do that? The LDF government has no conscience. They are making the livelihood of people difficult through political vengeance and intolerance. Kerala is hanging its heads in shame. Sathiamma should be taken back to work. We won’t abandon the poor family. Congress will fight alongside the family for justice,” said opposition leader VD Satheeshan.

However, officials clarified that Sathiamma had been working in a post allotted to another person since February. The issue came to her notice recently and her dismissal was only a natural process, it added. They emphasised that Sathiamma was technically not an employee at the office.

Meanwhile, MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan expressed shock over the ‘manner in which the authorities ousted Sathiamma from service’. “It was not right on the part of the officials to dismiss Sathiamma from work without any substantial reason. The dismissal is unauthorised and the lady has to be taken back to work. If CPM plans to take revenge against people who talk highly of Oommen Chandy, then they will have to initiate action against a majority of people in the Puthuppally assembly constituency,” says Thiruvanchoor.

MP Rajmohan Unnithan, Mahila Congress state president Jebi Mather, KC Joseph, PC Vishnunath MLA, M Vincent MLA, and DCC president Nattakom Suresh were the other prominent personalities who participated in the protest. Sathiamma’s husband also accompanied her to the protest.