Hyderabad, November 2026 : Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday joined a motorcycle rally of gig workers in Hyderabad, highlighting their welfare and social security concerns as the Telangana government announced measures expected to benefit nearly four lakh workers in the city.
Rahul Gandhi rode pillion during the motorcycle procession from the Shilparamam government auditorium to Jayabheri Ground in Madhapur, located in Hyderabad’s information technology hub. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and several other Congress leaders also participated in the rally.
The event was organised during Gandhi’s two-day visit to Hyderabad for the international Bharat Summit 2026, bringing the concerns of delivery executives, app-based drivers and other platform-based workers into focus.
Following the rally, Gandhi was scheduled to address a gathering of gig workers at Jayabheri Ground and outline the welfare initiatives announced by the state government. The measures include accident insurance coverage and the establishment of a dedicated welfare board.
The Telangana government said the new provisions were aimed at fulfilling its earlier commitments to gig workers and extending social security benefits to people engaged through digital platforms.
The initiatives build on the Telangana Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2026, passed by the state government in March. The legislation provides a framework for registering platform-based workers and extending welfare and social security benefits to them.
The proposed institutional framework is intended to bring gig workers under a formal system through registration and dedicated welfare mechanisms. Accident insurance is among the key benefits highlighted under the latest measures.
The issue of gig workers' rights and welfare has been a focus of Rahul Gandhi's public engagements. He had raised concerns relating to their working conditions and social security during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, drawing attention to the challenges faced by people dependent on app-based employment.
Saturday's rally and the planned interaction with workers placed these concerns at the centre of his Hyderabad programme. The state government's announcement also marked a further step towards translating its legislative commitments into welfare measures for the expanding platform-based workforce.
Gig workers, particularly those employed in food delivery, e-commerce logistics and app-based transportation, form an important part of the urban services economy. However, their access to conventional employment benefits and social protection has remained a key policy concern.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to attend the valedictory session of the Bharat Summit 2026 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and several national and international delegates are participating in the concluding session of the two-day summit.
Gandhi's Hyderabad visit has thus combined his participation in the international summit with direct engagement with gig workers, while the Telangana government's proposed social security measures have placed platform-based workers' welfare at the centre of Saturday's programme.
