MP Raghav Chadha lives day in the life of gig co-worker on Delhi’s roads

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Monday continued his campaign of voicing solidarity with gig workers and posted a video on social media showing him living a day in their life, on the roads of the national Capital.

Wearing a jacket of a quick-commerce company and riding pillion with another gig worker on a two-wheeler, Chadha, 37, is seen in the video as travelling on roads with the young driver and taking an elevator to reach a customer’s doorstep for delivery.

He shared his self-recorded video on social media, showcasing his experience as a Co-Delivery partner and wrote, “Away from boardrooms, at the grassroots. I lived their day. Stay tuned!”

On January 4, Chadha, a qualified Chartered Accountant and former employee of global accountancy firms, had taken to social media to highlight the release of draft social security rules for gig workers.

“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,” he wrote on social media.

On New Year’s Eve, Chadha 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 and the economy.

“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.