Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], November 14 : Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (LoP), Rahul Gandhi praised the Telangana government for introducing the historic Gig Workers Act as well as the constitution of the Gig Workers Board for their welfare and the protection of their rights.    
Addressing the launch of the social security and welfare scheme for gig workers in Telangana on Saturday, the Congress leader said though the 21st century is the century of data and discussions about data are taking place globally, and data centres are being built, gig workers have no access to the information about their performance, number of deliveries they completed, how much time it took, their earnings, and received payments. The big concern is that companies like Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Uber operate based on data, but gig workers in India still do not have access to their own data.
Considering the challenges facing gig workers, mainly access to information, Gandhi said the legislation introduced by the Telangana government granted them the right to access the data. Gig workers will now have full access to information regarding the work they perform, the rides or deliveries they complete, and the exact payment received for each ride or transaction.
"It is a big move that the government is providing a guarantee to gig workers," the LoP said, adding that the information would be available on their mobile phones, allowing them to access it easily.
He recalled that "Some time ago, I met with gig workers in Telangana. They shared their hardships and struggles with me. I, along with the Congress party and our Chief Minister, promised that we would provide them with support, security, and protection. Today, we are fulfilling that promise.”
Gandhi highlighted that the Telangana government was also building 'rest zones' for gig workers, equipped with Wi-Fi facilities, since the workers were spending their entire day riding scooters in the heat to make deliveries in many cities of the state. Workers can now rest, park their vehicles, sit for a while, and take a break whenever needed. The Telangana government intends to set up such rest zones not only in Hyderabad but in all cities across the state.
He also explained the Telangana government’s initiative of providing insurance to the gig workers. If a gig worker meets with an accident or falls ill, they suffer a severe setback. When they are unable to work, their entire family faces a crisis. "Now, the Telangana government is providing an accident insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh and health insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh for every gig worker.”
Rahul Gandhi also emphasised that gig workers should also receive a pension and have access to social security. "To ensure this, for every transaction—whether it is a delivery (such as through Blinkit), the completion of an Uber ride, or any other service—1 per cent of the transaction value will be contributed directly toward their future and security. Companies will be required to deposit this amount for every transaction into the Telangana Gig Workers Board. Subsequently, the Board will transfer these funds directly into the bank accounts of the gig workers," he said. 
The LoP compared the two ideologies of Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 21st century. "The BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideology is to reduce gig workers to the status of bonded labourers. The BJP ideology wants gig workers to toil 24 hours a day, shed their blood and sweat,  suffer injuries and hardships, and even face death and oppression with a motive of profiting the billionaires. They believe that the rewards and benefits of this hard labour should not go to the workers themselves, but rather to Ambani, Adani, Uber, and Ola," he said. 
"The second ideology is that of the Congress party, which considered gig workers as the foundation of this nation; labourers are the bedrock and the very basis of this country. Congress believed gig workers were partners and ensured their protection. We aim to provide them with security and safeguards," the Congress leader further said. 
He assured that the Telangana government and the entire Congress party stand in support of gig workers. "The Congress treats gig workers as partners and is striving to take full responsibility for the education and healthcare of their families. Gig workers need not worry,” Gandhi said.