New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday extended strong support to gig workers across the country who observed a nationwide symbolic strike, demanding fair wages, better working conditions and social security from major delivery and e-commerce platforms.

Chadha spent New Year’s Eve interacting with protesting gig workers at Old Rajinder Nagar in Delhi, where delivery partners associated with various companies had gathered to make their voices heard.

The protest, he said, was peaceful and aimed solely at drawing attention to the hardships faced by gig workers, who form a crucial part of India’s urban workforce.

“Spent New Year’s Eve with gig workers at Old Rajinder Nagar, who held a symbolic strike to make their voices heard,” Chadha wrote in a post on X, sharing photographs from the interaction.

He described the workers’ demands as “legitimate and just” and expressed solidarity with their call for fair wages, dignity at work and social security.

The nationwide strike, called jointly by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), saw thousands of delivery partners across several states log off their apps or reduce work significantly.

The protest impacted services on one of the busiest commercial days of the year, with reports of delays and cancellations in multiple cities.

Earlier, speaking to IANS, Chadha said the strike was not intended to disrupt services but to ensure that workers’ voices reached decision-makers.

“They are humans, not robots or bonded labour. They are also someone’s father, son, husband or brother,” he said, highlighting concerns over low and unpredictable pay, long working hours, lack of social security and absence of dignity at work.

He also spoke against the pressure created by ultra-fast delivery models, stating that the “10-minute delivery torture” was taking a toll on workers’ physical and mental health.

“When delivery partners fail to deliver within such short timelines, they are forced to deal with customer anger and penalties,” he added.

Chadha urged the management of platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato to engage in meaningful dialogue with their workers and arrive at fair and humane solutions.

“India’s growth cannot rest on insecurity and exploitation. It must be anchored in justice, dignity and respect for labour,” he said.

The MP also referred to his recent meeting with Blinkit delivery partner Himanshu Thapliyal, who went viral after speaking about the meagre earnings of gig workers.

Chadha said spending several hours interacting with workers helped him better understand their challenges, which were later communicated to platform management.

Alleging that some delivery partners were threatened for participating in the strike, Chadha said intimidation was unacceptable in a democracy.

“Everyone has the right to raise their voice and protest,” he asserted.

Expressing confidence in a resolution, Chadha said gig workers are the backbone of the e-commerce industry and deserve urgent attention.

“Now that voices are rising across the country and the issue has been raised in Parliament, I am hopeful that a positive solution will emerge through collective dialogue,” he added.

–IANS

brt/dan