Diwali, the holiday celebrated around the world as the "festival of lights", has turned dark for the families of more than 48,000 employees of Telangana's road transport corporation, who have been without a job, or pay, for six weeks now. Sacked by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, after going on strike 23 days ago over a list of 26 demands, including the merger of the corporation with the government, the employees were unpaid ahead of Dussehra as well.