Nagpur (PTI): Senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Thursday dared Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make public the video clips against him purportedly showing him speaking against NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray.

Addressing a press conference here, Deshmukh said, "Fadnavis should make the video clips public because I know he possesses none."

Deshmukh also showed a pen drive saying that it contains evidence about the allegations he made against Fadnavis.

He reiterated his allegation that three years ago, he was pressured by BJP leader Fadnavis to make an affidavit and level false allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray and Anil Parab.

When asked about the pen drive in his hand, Deshmukh said it contains proof of his allegations against Fadnavis.

"If I am challenged, I will reveal the video evidence I have. I don't speak without proof," he said.

On Wednesday, Deshmukh alleged that an 'intermediary' of Fadnavis had asked him to provide affidavits against important figures in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to avoid getting embroiled in litigation himself. But Fadnavis denied the allegation.

Deshmukh stepped down as home minister in April 2021 after the then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.

However, reacting to Deshmukh's allegation on Wednesday, Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, said it was baseless.

"Anil Deshmukh should know that his own party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about then CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public," Fadnavis said.

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Bengaluru: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the Karnataka government has launched a digital grievance redressal system for gig workers to provide structured support and protection to platform-based workers.

According to The Hindu, the system, developed by the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers’ Board in collaboration with the Department of e-Governance, allows workers to file complaints through the Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS).

Gig workers can raise issues related to pay, working conditions, and platform-specific disputes. Complaints will be routed to the Internal Dispute Resolution Committees (IDRCs) of respective platforms and are expected to be resolved within a defined timeframe. This is expected to bring transparency and legal recourse for a workforce that has so far operated without a formal dispute resolution framework.

Under The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act and Rules, every aggregator platform must constitute an Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC). Platforms such as Namma Yatri and Yulu have already integrated their IDRC contact details with the government portal.

Around 12 lakh gig workers have been identified in the state, and a unique identification system is being developed to remove duplicate entries. Officials said welfare schemes are also being designed based on type of work, working hours, and contribution.

Labour Minister Santosh Lad said that Karnataka, technology capital of the country, is leveraging this potential for worker welfare as well. “By launching this system, we are ensuring that the gig economy is no longer an informal space, but a structured one where every worker’s voice is heard,” he said.

“The schemes will vary based on the type of platforms. For example, cab rides are mostly undertaken by men whereas urban domestic activity is undertaken mostly by women. It may also be based on the contribution made, and the quantum of gig work done by a gig worker. Some gig workers work for more than eight hours while some may work on a few gigs. So, work load, nature of work, and time period of work could vary,” TH quoted G. Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner and CEO of the Board as saying.

“It has to be scientifically structured based on their effort and labour. We are working with experts, including academicians from Briston University, King’s College, and IISc, and other stake holders, including board members,” he said.

Officials added that aggregator platforms will be required to contribute 1 per cent towards worker welfare, with implementation beginning July 5.