Kavitha Demands Justice for Gig Workers, Slams Crackdown on NEET Protesters

Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) president Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Wednesday called for immediate government intervention to protect the interests of gig workers, alleging that app-based aggregator companies were exploiting lakhs of delivery partners and drivers while failing to provide fair compensation. She also strongly condemned the alleged police action against students protesting the NEET-UG 2026 examination controversy in New Delhi.

Speaking to the media, Kavitha claimed that workers associated with platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, Uber and Rapido were struggling to earn a sustainable income despite working throughout the day. She said gig workers had been demanding a revision in fares and better earnings for the past three years, but their repeated appeals had received little attention from the government.

Urging the Telangana government to step in, Kavitha called for discussions with aggregator companies to ensure fair remuneration, transparent incentive structures and improved working conditions for app-based workers. She warned that authorities should resolve the issue before mounting discontent leads to a large-scale disruption of services. Reiterating her party's support, she said TRS would stand firmly with gig workers and auto drivers in their fight for better livelihoods.

Her remarks come amid growing national debate over the rights of gig workers. While the Code on Social Security, 2020 recognises gig and platform workers, labour groups continue to demand stronger implementation of welfare measures, including social security benefits, minimum earnings and accident insurance.

Turning to the NEET-UG 2026 controversy, Kavitha criticised the alleged lathi-charge on students protesting against the examination paper leak, accusing the Central government of failing to ensure a transparent examination process while using force against those demanding accountability.

She alleged that the controversy had affected nearly 2.5 million aspirants and demanded stringent action against those responsible for the alleged paper leak. Kavitha also sought justice for the families of students who reportedly died in the aftermath of the controversy. Additionally, she urged the Centre to disclose the health condition of activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose prolonged hunger strike in support of the student movement has become a focal point of the nationwide protests. Wangchuk has continued his fast while demanding accountability over the alleged examination irregularities and has called for dialogue between student representatives and the government.