Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday highlighted the issues faced by DTC employees and said those who ensure smooth travel of lakhs of commuters every day have got only injustice in return. He also shared a video.
In fact, while sharing a video of his interaction and bus journey with Delhi Transport Service (DTC) employees last week, Gandhi on Twitter said that DTC employees are asking the government that if they are permanent citizens, then why are their jobs temporary.
The former Congress chief said in his post in English, “A few days ago, after a pleasant bus journey in Delhi, I interacted with DTC employees and learnt about their daily routine and problems. With no social security, no stable income and no permanent job, contract labour has reduced a job with great responsibility to a state of helplessness.”
Gandhi said, “While drivers and conductors are forced to live in the darkness of uncertainty, the home guards who are constantly deployed for the safety of passengers have been without salary for six months. Troubled by this neglect, DTC employees, like government employees across the country, are constantly living in fear of privatisation.”
“These are the people who run India, smoothen the journey of millions of passengers every day – but if they get anything in return for their dedication, it is simply injustice,” he said.
A few days ago, after having a pleasant bus travel experience in Delhi, I interacted with DTC employees and got to know about their daily routine and problems.
No social security, no stable income and no permanent job – contractual labour has reduced a job of great responsibility to a state of compulsion.
Where… pic.twitter.com/X4qFXcUKKI
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 2, 2024
The demands are clear – equal work, equal pay, complete justice. With a heavy heart and a saddened mind, they are asking the government, ‘If we are permanent citizens, why are our jobs temporary!'” Gandhi said.
In the video, Gandhi is seen taking an Uber ride with a driver with whom he had travelled earlier and later released a video highlighting the problems of gig workers at a spot near the Sarojini Nagar bus depot, where he interacted with drivers, conductors and marshals last Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, Gandhi had shared pictures of his interaction and the bus journey. He had said in a post in English on X, “Had a meeting and discussion with driver and conductor brothers and bus marshals in Delhi and then a fun journey in a DTC bus. A conversation with loved ones on their issues!”