Amid Covid-19, Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh, one of India's richest Hindu shrine, ends contract with 1,300 workers.
Employees took to the streets in Tirupati on Friday to protest, while wearing masks and maintaining physical distance. The retrenched workers have requested the administration to continue their services at this hour of crisis.
It is said that officials informed the workers that the contract ended on April 30. All these workers were engaged in sanitation and hospitality works.
While half the workers had been employed at the temple’s guest houses and other properties in Tirupati town, the others had been working in Tirumala.
One of the officials claimed that the employees had to be relieved because their contracts came to an end and new tender will be called only after lockdown ends. He also said that there is no work to be done as the shrine has been closed for visitors. But, it is said that a few workers who were currently working in the shrine were also asked to leave
However, Temple trust board chairman YV Subba Reddy confirmed that the workers contract has been terminated but the authorities will be helping them ‘somehow’
