Raghav Chadha Criticizes Gig Platforms for “Disposable Worker” Practices
Raghav Chadha backs delivery riders' nationwide strike demands.
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has intensified his advocacy for gig workers across major platforms including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart, calling on companies to recognize delivery riders as essential human contributors rather than interchangeable data points in algorithms, as thousands participated in a symbolic nationwide strike on December 31, 2025, coinciding with one of the year's busiest delivery periods.
In detailed posts on X, Chadha highlighted that the rapid growth and billion-dollar valuations of instant-commerce giants are built primarily on the relentless effort, sweat, and dedication of millions of riders navigating harsh conditions daily, insisting that the gig economy must prioritize dignity and fair compensation to avoid becoming a system of guilt-free exploitation.
The strike, organized by unions such as the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers, underscored deep-seated issues like diminishing incentives, mandatory extended shifts often lasting 11-15 hours, unpredictable and low monthly earnings averaging Rs 10,000-15,000 after expenses, hazardous pressures from 10-minute delivery targets, and a complete lack of social security, insurance, or support for injuries sustained on the job.
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Chadha's consistent support was evident when he spent New Year's Eve personally meeting striking workers in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, describing their demands for stable pay, safer conditions, and basic protections as entirely legitimate; earlier in December, he hosted Uttarakhand-based Blinkit executive Thapliyal Ji for lunch after a viral video revealed earnings of just Rs 763 for 28 deliveries spanning nearly 15 hours, further amplifying calls raised in Parliament.
Amid the protests, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal responded on X by defending the 10-minute delivery system as reliant on store density rather than speeding risks, reporting record-breaking order volumes exceeding 75 lakh on New Year's Eve with over 4.5 lakh partners active despite the strike, while asserting the model's fairness attracts voluntary participation and acknowledging ongoing needs for improvement in the broader gig ecosystem.
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