KOTTAYAM: A temporary employee of a veterinary hospital was fired soon after speaking to the media about the good things former chief minister Oommen Chandy had done to her family. Sathiyamma (52) of Puthupally and sweeper of the veterinary Hospital in Kaitheppalam lost her job of 11 years.

While seeking the response of voters in the Puthupally by-election, the channel reporter asked Sathiyamma about Oommen Chandy. She said when her son Rahul died in a car accident, Oommen Chandy directly intervened and helped her and he had also attended her daughter's wedding while serving as the chief minister. She also clarified that she will vote for Chandy Oommen this time as a sign of gratitude. This was aired on the channel last Sunday.

When she came for work yesterday, the district deputy director of the animal husbandry department called her on the phone and directed her not to enter duty. Sathiyamma said the deputy director had hinted that there was pressure from top levels to terminate her.

She got the sweeper’s job through Vaikom Veterinary Centre. After four years came to Kaithepalam as a sweeper via Kudumbashree. Her monthly salary was Rs 8000. This hospital is under the Left Front ruling Puthupally Panchayat. Her husband Radhakrishnan was a carpenter and now he is not able to go for work. Her income was their only support.

Sathiyamma said that she does not have any particular politics and mentioned this because she cannot forget the help done by Oommen Chandy. Meantime, deputy director of the animal husbandry department Bijimol said that Sathiyamma was hired from Kudumbashree and was dismissed as her turn was over.