Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday released a video of his ride on a truck from Haryana's Murthal to Ambala, in which he was seen discussing the problems and issues of truck drivers.
Sharing the video on Twitter, Gandhi captioned, "Interesting conversation with truck drivers in 6 hours Delhi-Chandigarh journey! Spending 24 hours on the road, they connects every corner of India."
The truck ride was part of Gandhi's programme to interact with people from different walks of life after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, that ended in January end this year in Srinagar.
Continuing his interaction with people, he met and spoke with a group of truck drivers at a dhaba in Murthal on NH-44, and travelled on a truck from there to Ambala, while on his way to Shimla.
During the conversation with them, he decided to accompany Prem Rajpoot, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad in his truck and had a long conversation with him and his companion Rakesh.
India's truck drivers
The Congress claimed that there are three crore Indians directly employed in the Truck Industry and reports suggest, every year there is a demand for 9 lakh new truck drivers as they are the veritable back bone of India's logistics sector.
Jann Ki Baat over Mann Ki Baat.
— AIPC (@ProfCong) May 23, 2023
According to media reports there are 90 lakh truck drivers in the country who play a crucial role in the transportation sector & the economy as a whole. @RahulGandhi ji took a truck ride from Delhi to Chandigarh & lent an ear to their issues. pic.twitter.com/ph1FOexU94
Rajpoot told Gandhi that he do not want their family members to join their profession. When the Congress leader asked Rajpoot where does inflation hit him the most, he replied "fuel".
"If the diesel prices increase, the cost of goods too goes up. If we buy cooking oil, we are unable to buy eatables. If we buy wheat, we are unable to buy the means to cook it," Rakesh, Rajpoot's conductor said.
Many truck drivers, who had tea and food at the dhaba also complained of harassment by police, and low and irregular income in their profession.
Gandhi also inquired about why they came into this profession and most of them answered "because there was no other work to be found".
Harsh working conditions
The truck drivers also pointed out the "harsh conditions they work in and how even after driving 12-24 hours, they could hardly esrn Rs 10,000, which is not enough to run the family".
The Congress leader then asked them if they have insurance to protect them in case of accident, to which most of the truck drivers replied in negative.
The former Wayanad Lok Sabha MP assured them that the next Congress government will do its best to improve their plight.
Gandhi has continued to listen to the voice of common people on a regular basis. From visiting Old Delhi and talking with students of Mukherjee Nagar and DU to taking to a BMTC Bus and Blinkit Bike ride in Bengaluru, he has actively engaged with people from various sections of society continuing his process of listening to people like during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He is on a mission to give a voice to India's unheard as his Yatra continues.
Rahul Gandhi then deboarded the truck at Gurudwara Manji Sahib in Ambala, where he sat through the Shabad Kirtan. During his Bharat Jodo Yatra, he had not been able to visit the gurudwara, which he visited during his truck ride to Ambala.
(With inputs from IANS)
