RAHUL GANDHI MEETS GIG WORKERS, HAILS KARNATAKA ‘GOVERNMENT’S HISTORIC ORDINANCE: “WE NEED RIGHTS, NOT RATING”

RAHUL GANDHI MEETS GIG WORKERS, HAILS KARNATAKA ‘GOVERNMENT’S HISTORIC ORDINANCE: “WE NEED RIGHTS, NOT RATING”

By News Baba Online | May 29, 2025

In a powerful and emotional address today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his solidarity with India’s gig workers, echoing the words that stayed with him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra: “We need rights, not rating. We are humans, not slaves.”

During the nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi met numerous gig workers — delivery agents, drivers, and service providers — who shared heart-wrenching stories of long hours, unfair pay, arbitrary app deactivations, and lack of basic protections like sick leave or social security.

“These words fell heavy on my heart when I met gig workers,” Gandhi said today, following the Karnataka Congress government’s landmark move to pass an ordinance providing rights, protections, and dignity to gig and platform workers.

A HISTORIC MOVE IN KARNATAKA
Under the new ordinance, Karnataka becomes one of the first states to formally address the injustices faced by gig workers.

The key provisions include:
✅ Social Security: Gig workers will now be entitled to social protection measures such as insurance, pension schemes, and health cover.
✅ Fair Contracts: The ordinance mandates that contracts between platforms and workers are fair, clear, and just.
✅ Algorithmic Transparency: Companies will have to reveal how pay is determined, removing the mystery behind the “secret” algorithms that control gig workers’ livelihoods.
✅ End to Arbitrary Blocking: Workers can no longer be deactivated or blocked from apps without cause or explanation, ending a practice that left many stranded without income overnight.

Gandhi praised the Karnataka government for showing bold leadership, calling it a “historic step” and pointing out that Rajasthan had already set the stage, while Telangana is poised to follow.

TECHNOLOGY AND JUSTICE MUST GO HAND IN HAND
“Gig and platform work is creating new opportunities and reshaping work relationships,” Gandhi said. “But workers’ rights must be at the center of this transformation.”

He stressed that while technology has brought innovation, it should not come at the cost of human dignity. Gandhi’s statement reflects the Congress party’s broader vision to extend these protections nationwide, ensuring fair treatment and respect for all gig workers across India.

A CALL TO ACTION FOR OTHER STATES
With Karnataka’s ordinance now in place, the pressure is mounting on other states to follow suit. Gandhi specifically called on Telangana to “be next” and emphasized that the Congress vision is to take this fight for gig workers’ rights to every state and ultimately across the entire nation.

THE VOICES OF THE GIG WORKERS
Throughout his Bharat Jodo journey, Gandhi heard countless stories from the ground — delivery workers braving the rain and heat, drivers working sleepless nights, and service workers who live under constant fear of losing access to their livelihood with the click of an app button.

Their message was clear:
➡ “We are not just ratings. We are not numbers. We are human beings.”
➡ “We are not slaves. We want rights, respect, and security.”

Today’s announcement marks a major political and social victory for these millions of gig workers, many of whom have long been left without a safety net in India’s rapidly growing platform economy.

LOOKING AHEAD
As Karnataka leads the charge, the ball is now in the court of other state governments. Will they rise to the challenge? Will India’s gig economy transform into a model of fairness and justice?

For Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, the message is clear: this is just the beginning.

Stay tuned with News Baba Online for further updates on this historic development and how it will impact the lives of millions of Indian gig workers.

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