Gig Workers Deserve Fair Pay and Respect, Says Raghav Chadha

January 2, 2026

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said on Friday that gig workers should be treated as humans, not as “disposable data points” to be used by app-based companies. He expressed his strong support for gig workers participating in a symbolic nationwide strike on New Year’s Eve, demanding fair wages, better working conditions, and social security.

Support for Nationwide Strike

This nationwide protest was jointly called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT). Thousands of delivery partners in several states logged off apps or significantly reduced work, impacting services on one of the busiest business days of the year. Delays and cancellations were reported in several cities.

Describing the situation as “sad,” Chadha said that the millions of delivery riders who built instant-commerce companies are now forced to take to the streets just to be heard.

‘Companies built with human sweat, not just algorithms’

Sharing his conversations with delivery riders from platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, and Blinkit, Chadha said, “This isn’t a complaint. This is a conversation with the people whose lives power our everyday conveniences.”

He emphasized that the success of instant-commerce platforms isn’t just due to algorithms, but rather the sweat and toil of delivery workers.

“These platforms weren’t just due to algorithms, but were built with human sweat and labor,” he said. He added that the gig economy cannot be allowed to become an “economy of guilt-free exploitation.”

Concerns about wages, dignity, and health

Earlier, speaking to IANS, Chadha expressed concern about the persistent problems faced by gig workers, including low and uncertain wages, long working hours, lack of social security, and lack of respect for work.

“They are human beings, not robots or bonded laborers. They are also someone’s father, son, husband, or brother,” he said. He also criticized the pressures of the ultra-fast delivery model, saying that the “torture of 10-minute deliveries” is taking a serious toll on gig workers’ physical and mental health.