‘Why temporary jobs for permanent citizens?’: Rahul Gandhi airs DTC employees' concern

In an implicit criticism of the AAP government in Delhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday (September 2) wondered why Delhi Transport Corp (DTC) employees were having temporary and not permanent jobs.

Rahul made the comment on social media after taking a DTC bus ride and interacting with its employees, drivers and conductors included.

Sharing a video of his last week’s interaction, the Congress leader said the DTC employees wanted to know why their jobs were temporary if they were permanent citizens.

“A few days ago, after a pleasant bus ride in Delhi, I interacted with DTC employees and got to know about their daily routine and problems,” the former Congress chief said in a post.

“No social security, no stable income and no permanent job -- contractual labour has reduced a job of great responsibility to a state of compulsion,” he said.

While drivers and conductors were forced to live amid uncertainty, the Home Guards who are constantly deployed for the safety of passengers have been without salary for six months, Rahul said.

Fear of privatisation

DTC workers were also living under the constant fear of privatisation, he said.

“These are the people who run India, make the journey of lakhs of passengers smooth every day but if they have gotten anything in return for their dedication, it is only injustice,” he said.

The demands are clear -- equal work, equal pay, complete justice, he said.

In the video, Rahul is seen taking an Uber ride with a driver and near the Sarojini Nagar Bus DTC depot where he interacted with the drivers, conductors and marshals last Wednesday.

The state-run DTC fleet comes under the jurisdiction of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government which governs Delhi amid a running feud with the Modi government and its handpicked Lieutenant Governor.