Gig workers call nationwide ‘App Bandh’ on Dec 31, delivery services in Bengaluru likely to be hit
Bengaluru: Delivery services across Bengaluru are expected to face disruption on December 31 as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike, raising concerns for restaurants and customers ahead of New Year’s Eve.
The protest, described as an ‘App Bandh’, has been called by several national unions including the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). Union leaders say the strike could see wider participation than a similar call on December 25, which affected parts of Delhi and Gurugram but had little impact on Bengaluru.
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Clarifying that participation is voluntary, IFAT national president Prashant Sawardekar said, “Many workers want to protest, but there is fear of being penalised or blacklisted by platforms. Despite this, the response has been growing.” The union has around seven lakh members across India, with about 35,000 based in Bengaluru. he said.
At the heart of the protest are long-standing demands for regulation of platform companies under labour laws, an end to arbitrary penalties and ID blocking, transparent wage structures, improved social security, and protection of workers’ right to organise. A key demand is a ban on the 10-minute delivery model, which unions argue pushes workers into unsafe conditions. The Karnataka App-based Workers Union has also written to Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya seeking intervention.
Delivery workers noted penalties imposed by aggregator platforms have become a major source of distress, as reported by Deccan Herald. Salauddin, a 49-year-old delivery executive planning to join the strike, said delays beyond their control often lead to fines. “If a restaurant is late or a customer is unresponsive, we still get penalised. There is no accountability on others, only on us,” he said.
Others point to safety concerns, particularly on New Year’s Eve. “The streets are chaotic that night. It’s not worth risking your life for work where neither the company nor customers respect you,” said Sandeep K, a 39-year-old food delivery and porter agent, urging more workers to participate.
Unions have also appealed to home service workers and cab drivers to join the protest, though city-based unions indicated that cab and auto services are unlikely to be affected.
Restaurants and smaller establishments said they may rely on phone orders and in-house staff for deliveries, while larger chains fear significant disruption. With around 35 multiple food brands outlets in the city, Nikhil Gupta, told DH setting up an alternative delivery system at short notice was not feasible. “We are still waiting for payments from aggregator platforms and are hoping services continue. Otherwise, our operations will take a serious hit,” he said.
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On Eid, Shia Muslims in MP denounce killing of Khamenei; chant slogans against US, Israel
Bhopal (PTI): Most members of the Shia Muslim community refrained from celebrating Eid on Saturday as they denounced the killing of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israel strikes, and chanted slogans against the two countries in protest.
However, members of the Sunni Muslim community celebrated the festival with fervour by flooding Eidgahs across the state to offer prayers.
Eid is being celebrated across the country on Saturday.
After offering namaz, Shias raised slogans against the United States and Israel for their attack on Iran.
To register their protest against Khamenei's killing, some of them arrived at the prayer grounds in Bhopal and elsewhere in the state wearing black armbands and dressed in simple and old clothes, reflecting a sombre mood.
Children from the Shia community were also seen wearing black armbands.
A photograph of Khamenei was placed at the Imambara in the state capital.
Khamenei was killed in the last week of February. He belonged to the Shia community.
During the address, Maulana Razi-ul-Hasan spoke about standing up against oppression.
Talking to PTI over phone from Burhanpur, All India Shia Samaj state president Iftikhar Ali, popularly known as Jaani Pahalwan, said, "After offering namaz at Sidhipura Imamiya Masjid and thereafter raising slogans against US- Israel, I returned home. My community and I are not celebrating Eid."
He said he was not celebrating the joyous festival due to the Israel-US excesses in Iran.
Around 4,000 Shia families in the state are largely concentrated in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Indore, Vidisha, Ujjain, Burhanpur, Itarsi in Narmadapuram district and Jaora in Ratlam district, he added.
Sunnis celebrated the festival across Madhya Pradesh by offering namaz in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ujjain, and other places.
In Bhopal, their city Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi announced the celebration of Eid after the moon was not sighted on Thursday.
The first namaz was offered at the Eidgah at 7.30 am on Saturday, followed by prayers at Jama Masjid and Moti Masjid.
A special prayer was held at Taj-ul-Masajid under the supervision of Maulana Hassan Sahib where a large number of people were present.
