Rahul Gandhi takes an Uber ride, flags plight of gig workers: ‘Low income, no savings’

Highlighting the plight of gig workers in his post, he wrote: “Low income and inflation are suffocating them — this is the plight of gig workers in India!”

“I discussed this with Sunil Upadhyay ji during an Uber ride and met his family to understand the challenges faced by gig workers like cab drivers and delivery agents. They are struggling to survive on a hand-to-mouth income, with no savings and no security for their family’s future,” read the post.

During his conversation with the Congress MP, Upadhyay, who hails from UP’s Etah and lives in Delhi with his family, told Gandhi he worked with an automobile firm before marriage but could not stick to that job for long. “After marriage, however, I switched to this job (as an Uber driver),” he said. It exposed him to the harsh realities of the gig economy where many workers have to face financial instability and lack of social security, he added.

Gandhi also asked if legislation reforms such as the Rajasthan Gig Workers’ Act, a Bill introduced and passed by the Congress government in Rajasthan in July 2023, can be helpful for gig workers. The Act aimed to provide gig workers, such as cab drivers and delivery agents, essential social security benefits.

Upadhyay was clear in his response: “The rates should be increased so that we can support our survival. There isn’t a single day when we earn well. We’re now considering moving back to our native village because we aren’t able to make ends meet in Delhi… After all the money I spend on ration, cooking gas, and my kids’ education, we have no savings.”

“To address these issues,” Gandhi wrote on X, “Congress state governments will work towards creating concrete policies, and the INDIA bloc will ensure its nationwide expansion with full determination.”