Chennai:
Narayanamoorthy qualified to be a teacher but sells alcohol at a state-run liquor shop. Seven years later, he is still a contract worker, his salary a pittance of 2,800 rupees.
Now, 30,000 workers of state-run liquor shop in Tamil Nadu are up in protest demanding they be made government employees and given the associated benefits.
"How is this salary enough to pay rent in Chennai and educate our children?" asked Narayanamooorthy.
While Thillainathan said, "There are many post-graduates and even law graduates who work in these shops."
The government-owned liquor shops provide a revenue of Rs 12,000 crore to fund the state government's pet projects like the free colour television scheme. But the ruling DMK is not keen to make these workers permanent, as they were appointed by Jayalalithaa during her earlier regime.
Reason: During her term Jayalalithaa had sacked more than 10,000 road workers appointed by the DMK.
How will these workers find resolution in what is a long and bitter political rivalry?