“Hostages With Helmets”: Raghav Chadha Takes On Delivery Giants as Gig Workers’ Strike Exposes Harsh Realities

In a sharp and emotionally charged intervention that has reignited a nationwide debate on labour rights, Raghav Chadha launched a blistering attack on food delivery and quick-commerce platforms over their handling of a massive strike by gig workers across India. His remarks have put the spotlight back on the human cost behind app-based convenience and raised uncomfortable questions about the future of the gig economy.

The controversy erupted after thousands of delivery partners went on strike in several cities, demanding fair pay, predictable earnings, safer working conditions, and basic social security. Instead of engaging with these demands, some platforms reportedly described the protestors as troublemakers, a move that drew widespread criticism. Chadha condemned this approach, calling it deeply insensitive and dangerous.

Using a phrase that quickly went viral, Chadha described delivery workers as “hostages with helmets”, arguing that if companies need police deployment to keep deliveries running, it signals a broken system. According to him, workers asking for dignity and fairness are being treated as a law-and-order problem rather than as the backbone of billion-dollar businesses.

Chadha stressed that protesting for humane working conditions is not a crime. He warned that branding workers as miscreants for raising legitimate concerns creates a culture of fear and exploitation. “When those who keep our cities running are silenced or threatened, society as a whole pays the price,” he said, underlining the moral responsibility of platforms that profit from gig labour.

The strike has brought long-standing issues into sharp focus fluctuating incentives, long working hours, lack of insurance, and the absence of formal employee protections. Many delivery partners say they are pushed to work in unsafe conditions, often during late nights or extreme weather, with little support when accidents or health emergencies occur.

While Chadha clarified that he supports innovation and technology-driven growth, he argued that progress cannot come at the cost of basic human dignity. Economic success, he said, loses meaning if it is built on overworked, underpaid, and unprotected labour. His remarks have resonated strongly with labour rights groups and sections of the public who see the strike as a wake-up call.

The episode has triggered a wider national conversation about how India’s rapidly expanding gig economy should be regulated. As app-based services become an everyday necessity, pressure is mounting on both companies and policymakers to ensure that growth is inclusive and ethical. As the debate continues, one question looms large: Can convenience for consumers justify insecurity for workers? Chadha’s intervention has ensured that this question can no longer be ignored, forcing India to confront the uncomfortable realities behind the apps that power modern urban life.