By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Several Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) employees in Kerala protested the meritorious service awards given away by the institution Friday.
Those protesting the awards – presented at the Master Control Facility in Hassan to 74 employees from the state – said the institution had been successful because of collective effort and not because of select individuals.
While employees attached to the ISRO Staff Association staged demonstrations, those owing allegiance to the VSSC Employees Union wore black badges to work.
D. Murugan, the general secretary of the association, said: "These awards have been given to select individuals and it sets a bad precedent because the success of the institution is on account of the collective effort of all employees. Awarding some is not in good taste and we are demonstrating against that."
N.V. Phillip, general secretary of the Employees Union, said: "Several deserving employees have not been awarded and we really do not know the manner in which the selection of awardees was made. A feeling of oneness which was there in the units appears to have been lost because of this."
The four ISRO units in Kerala have around 6,000 employees.