New Delhi, Jan 12, 2026: In a move aimed at drawing attention to the working conditions of gig economy workers, AAP MP Raghav Chadha spent a day experiencing life as a delivery agent for quick-commerce platform Blinkit. The Rajya Sabha member shared a video of his experience on social media on Monday, highlighting the challenges faced by delivery partners across India.

In the video, Chadha is seen dressed in Blinkit’s yellow uniform, wearing a helmet, and riding pillion on a delivery agent’s motorbike as they complete orders across the city. The visuals capture him accompanying the worker through multiple deliveries, effectively participating in a typical shift on the platform. Sharing the clip, Chadha wrote: “Away from boardrooms, at the grassroots. I lived their day.”

This initiative was part of Chadha’s ongoing effort to raise awareness about gig workers’ issues, particularly those related to pay, safety, job security, and the extreme pressures posed by ultra-fast delivery models, including the controversial 10-minute delivery timelines. Delivery workers have long argued that such timelines not only increase stress but also compromise safety on the road.

Advocating for Gig Workers

Chadha has been vocal about the challenges faced by gig economy workers in recent months. Earlier, he had hosted a delivery agent for lunch and conducted interviews with workers to highlight their grievances. He has consistently called for a policy overhaul for India’s e-commerce and food delivery sectors, emphasizing the need for predictable rules, fair pay, social security, and safe working conditions.

The MP’s engagement comes amid mounting tension between delivery platforms and their workforce. During recent nationwide strikes by delivery workers, platforms like Zomato and Blinkit faced criticism for their labor practices. The strikes, aimed at demanding better pay and working conditions, were met with dismissive remarks from some platform leaders. For instance, Blinkit and Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal reportedly referred to striking workers as “miscreants” while defending the platforms’ operational models and highlighting the scale of job creation.

Responding to Goyal’s comments, Chadha wrote on X, “Delivery partners across India went on strike demanding basic dignity, fair pay, safety, predictable rules, and social security. The response from the platform was to call them ‘miscreants’ and turn a labour demand into a law & order narrative. That is not just insulting, it is dangerous. Workers asking for fair pay are not criminals.”

Spotlight on Extreme Delivery Timelines

Chadha’s demonstration comes amid broader debates around the ultra-fast delivery model adopted by quick-commerce companies. Workers have repeatedly highlighted that extremely short delivery timelines, often as low as ten minutes, create enormous physical and mental stress. Critics argue that this model encourages reckless driving and undermines worker welfare in the pursuit of customer convenience.

On New Year’s Eve, Goyal reportedly shared that Zomato and Blinkit had achieved record delivery speeds, despite ongoing worker strikes, stating that support from local law enforcement helped “keep the small number of miscreants in check.” Chadha criticized this approach, arguing that labeling workers demanding rights as “miscreants” delegitimizes legitimate labor concerns and turns a workplace issue into a criminal or law-and-order matter.

Political and Parliamentary Advocacy

Chadha emphasized that his effort was not a one-off publicity stunt but part of a sustained push for accountability in the gig economy. He stated that he had already raised these concerns during the winter session of Parliament and would continue to pursue them until gig workers’ demands for fair treatment are addressed.

“This is a fight I will see through. In Parliament. Outside Parliament. Until there is accountability. The workers who built these platforms order by order, kilometre by kilometre, deserve better than to be called ‘miscreants’ for asking to be treated as human beings,” Chadha said.

His initiative reflects a growing movement in India and globally to ensure that gig workers, who form the backbone of on-demand services, receive basic labor protections, fair wages, and respect for their safety and dignity. By stepping into the shoes of a delivery agent, Chadha aimed to shed light on the day-to-day challenges faced by workers, from navigating traffic to managing time pressures and fulfilling multiple orders while facing minimal social security protections.

Implications for the Gig Economy

Chadha’s demonstration adds to a larger debate on labor rights in India’s gig economy, where companies frequently classify delivery partners as independent contractors, exempting them from standard labor protections. Critics argue that this model allows platforms to maximize profits while externalizing risks onto the workers, leaving them vulnerable to accidents, delays, and exploitative work conditions.

The AAP MP’s on-ground experiment with Blinkit comes at a time when gig workers are demanding structural reforms, including minimum guaranteed pay, safer working conditions, access to insurance, and social security benefits. His advocacy highlights the gap between corporate narratives, which often emphasize efficiency and scale, and the realities of workers’ daily experiences.

By experiencing the physical demands of delivery work firsthand, Chadha hopes to raise public awareness and pressure policymakers and platforms to implement reforms that prioritize the welfare of workers. He also emphasized the symbolic importance of such initiatives in demonstrating solidarity with laborers whose work is often invisible but critical to the functioning of modern e-commerce systems.

Conclusion

Raghav Chadha’s experiment as a Blinkit delivery agent underscores the ongoing struggle for rights and recognition in India’s gig economy. His effort reflects a broader push for reforms that ensure fairness, dignity, and accountability in the sector. As debates continue around labor practices, delivery timelines, and worker protections, Chadha’s initiative serves as a reminder that the people behind rapid deliveries deserve more than just efficiency—they deserve respect, safety, and a voice in shaping the systems that depend on their labor.