Chennai, June 24 : The first woman bus driver in the Textile
city of Coimbatore quit her job on Friday due to a face off with the
management soon after DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi had a
ride in the bus with her.
The 24-year-old bus driver, M.Sharmila, quit her job after the
private transport company management claimed that she had
been inviting high-profile personalities for publicity and to be
in the media limelight.
“The management’s charge that I invited Ms.Kanimozhi to take
a ride in my bus to increase my popularity, was not acceptable
and unbearable. I slog for several hours a day since early in the
morning (for this job)” Ms.Sharmila said after putting her papers.
A week ago, BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan too, had travelled with
Ms.Sharmila.
The tiff was said to be a direct outcome of an argument over
issuing tickets for Ms.Kanimozhi and her staff by the conductor,
also a woman, in the Somanur-bound bus from Gandhipuram.
After reportedly chiding the conductor for being rude, Sharmila
had lodged a complaint with the company manager later.
However, the management had reportedly taken a stand that
she has been inviting high-profile personalities to be in the
media limelight and perhaps did not like the appointment of
a woman conductor a few days back.
According to the transport company manager Raghu, she had felt
that her her popularity was getting diluted after the appointment
fo the woman conductor.
Mr.Raghu said Ms. Sharmila was “upset” and had not reported for
work on Wednesday and Thursday with the intent of quitting the
job, but had offered to work on Friday.
“Ms.Sharmila had apparently looked for the right moment to quit
and she utilised the opportunity when Ms.Kanimozhi came visiting,”
he claimed.
An upset Sharmila has appealed to Ms Kanimozhi to help her in
securing a job.