Raghav Chadha Lives as Gig Worker, Exposes Harsh Realities of Delivery Partners

Documenting the daily struggles of gig workers in the hour-long video, the AAP RS MP brought to fore the rigors of their profession, eventually forcing the government to take note and make necessary amends.

Raghav Chadha recently turned into a delivery partner on the roads of city, as part of his effort to highlight the challenges faced by gig workers in their everyday working lives

Chadha shared a video of the experience on YouTube, offering a glimpse into a day in the life of delivery partners navigating the streets of the national capital.

The initiative forms part of his broader campaign, aimed at expressing solidarity with gig workers and also spotlighting the fact that they are also human beings and not just data points.

In the video, the Parliamentarian is seen wearing the jacket of a quick-commerce company and riding pillion on a two-wheeler with a gig worker. .

Sharing the self-recorded video on social media, Chadha described his experience as a co-delivery partner and wrote, "From Parliament speech to countless meetings with gig workers, I've advocated for their rights, but words weren't enough. To truly understand, I lived it."

"In Delhi's biting winter cold, I teamed up with Blinkit delivery boy Shivam for a full night shift hustling on two wheels, braving traffic and chill to deliver orders," he further added.

During the course of his day, Chadha interacted closely with Shivam, who spoke about the difficulties faced by gig workers while delivering orders.

Shivam told him that delivery partners are often forced to ride at high speeds and sometimes even take wrong routes to meet strict 10-minute delivery timelines.

He also pointed out that the work continues irrespective of weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, cold waves and extreme heat.

The video also shows Chadha sharing a meal with gig workers, further underlining his attempt to understand their working conditions from close quarters.

Chadha has been vocal in his support for gig workers over the past few weeks.

On New Year's Eve, he extended strong support to gig workers across the country who observed a nationwide symbolic strike, demanding fair wages, improved working conditions and social security from major delivery and e-commerce platforms.

He spent New Year's Eve interacting with protesting gig workers at Old Rajinder Nagar in Delhi, where delivery partners associated with multiple companies had assembled to voice their demands.

Chadha said the protest was peaceful and aimed solely at drawing attention to the hardships faced by gig workers, who form a vital part of India's urban workforce and economy.

On January 4, Chadha took to social media to highlight the release of draft social security rules for gig workers.

In his post, he wrote, "Congratulations to all Gig Workers and Delivery Partners. There is good news for you. Central Government's draft Social Security Rules are the first step towards recognition, protection and dignity for your work. Even though the Platforms...chose not to listen to your voices, the people of this country and the government did. This is a small win, but an important win."

On January 13, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asked major food delivery and quick-commerce platforms to do away with rigid '10-minute' delivery time commitments, stressing that the safety of delivery partners should take precedence over speed.

Mandaviya held discussions in Delhi with officials from Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato, during which he advised them to remove strict delivery deadlines from their platforms and promotional material in the interest of worker safety.

Following this development, Chadha joined gig workers in celebrating what he described as a victory for their safety, dignity and working conditions.

In a video message, he said it was a memorable day as the Centre struck down private companies' '10-minute delivery' branding, calling it a significant step forward for delivery partners across the country.

- IANS