Kottayam: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Monday revoked the order to transfer Akhila S Nair, a conductor at Vaikom depot, who wore a badge to protest against the delay in salary payment.
The woman conductor had protested against the delay in disbursal of salary by wearing a badge on her uniform. The piece of paper stated that she had been working without salary for 41 days.
The transfer order was revoked by the Transport Minister Antony Raju after considering the report of the KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). The Minister however, stated that the details mentioned in the badge were incorrect.
"The KSRTC disburses salary on the 5th of every month. The salary was delayed by only six days, not 41. The transfer was not a disciplinary action," the minister said.
Akhila was transferred from Vaikom depot to Pala after she wore a badge on her uniform. She wore the badge on March 11.
Her photograph, taken by a passenger, was widely shared on social media.
The KSRTC had said that the protest was an attempt to malign the State government.
In an investigation that followed the incident, the Corporation had arrived at a conclusion that her conduct invited disciplinary action. She violated the code of conducted and attempted to malign the government, the reasons highlighted on her transfer order stated.
Akhila, who is a post graduate with B.Ed, has been a KSRTC employee for the past 13 years.
“I did not intend to defame or disparage the institution. You can't live without money. Everything needs money. We work for remuneration. When we don't get it, we have a mental conflict. There is the risk of defaulting loan payments. Monthly salary earners pay all bills at the beginning of the month. I feel ashamed to ask for time," Akhila had said.
