Sanjeev Bikhchandani Backs Zomato Owner Deepinder Goyal, Takes a Dig at Raghav Chadha Amid Gig Worker Strike Debate
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Bikhchandani Backs Goyal, Throws Shade At Chadha
Billionaire Sanjeev Bikhchandani jumped into the gig economy debate, siding with Zomato Founder Deepinder Goyal, and tossing a sly jab at AAP MP Raghav Chadha while he was at it.
Goyal’s X post didn’t hold back: the gig economy has “exposed the reality of inequality to the people who previously had the luxury of not seeing it” and “shattered the invisibility” of the working class. Bikhchandani gave a thumbs-up from the sidelines, reposting: “Very well written @deepigoyal Every word is true.” For the curious reader, it’s like a high-stakes social media chess game, who will make the next move?
Thanks for putting out these details in Public @deepigoyal I can testify to the fact that discussions on delivery partner welfare and fair compensation occupy a significant percentage of the time in Board meetings. The management and the board are bothered about these.
Now the… https://t.co/Ho4Pqo8cke— Sanjeev Bikhchandani (@sbikh) January 2, 2026
Bikhchandani Questions Strike Organizers
Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Naukri.com founder and Zomato board member, didn’t hold back on the recent gig worker strike. He pointed out that delivery partner welfare and fair compensation are already hot topics in board meetings, hardly a secret. Instead, he took aim at those who ran to social media instead of knocking on the boardroom door.
“Why start a public campaign when you could have simply asked?” he implied, hinting at political agendas behind the theatrics. For readers keeping score: is this a savvy defense of the company, or a subtle roast of the strike organizers? You decide.
Deepinder Goyal Breaks Down Zomato Gig Worker Model
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Earnings Growth: Average hourly earnings rose 10.9% in 2025, from Rs 92 to Rs 102.
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Monthly Income: Working 10 hours/day for 26 days = Rs 26,500 gross; net ~Rs 21,000 after ~20% fuel/maintenance costs.
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Work Pattern: Average partners worked seven hours/day over 38 days per year; only 2.3% worked more than 250 days.
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Flexibility Over Full-Time Benefits: Gig work offers flexibility, not long-term employment perks. PF or guaranteed salaries “doesn’t align with what the model is built for.”
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Autonomy: Partners choose their areas, log-in hours, and work times; no assigned shifts. “Flexibility isn’t incidental to the gig model, it is the whole point.”
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Safety & Delivery Speed: Delivery partners don’t see countdown timers; speed depends on store proximity – Blinkit 16 km/h, Zomato 21 km/h.
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Insurance & Benefits: Over Rs 100 crore spent in 2025 on accident, medical, and loss-of-pay coverage.
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Additional Support: Two rest days/month for women, income tax help for 95,000 partners, NPS enrollment for 54,000 workers.
Facts below (1/5):
In 2025, average earnings per hour (EPH), excluding tips, for a delivery partner on Zomato were ₹102.
In 2024, this number was ₹92. That’s a ~10.9% year-on-year increase. Over a longer horizon also, EPH has shown steady growth.Most delivery partners work…
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) January 2, 2026
Deepinder Goyal Defends The Gig Economy
Goyal emphasized that the gig economy has brought labourers into direct interaction with consumers, making inequality visible. He argued that it provides opportunities for part-time, unskilled work with zero barriers to entry.
“Now tell me, is this unfair? Especially for an unskilled job, which is largely part time, and has zero barriers to entry.”
Raghav Chadha Champions Gig Worker Rights
AAP MP Raghav Chadha publicly voiced support for gig workers, calling for better working conditions and an end to 10-minute delivery pressures. He criticized companies for exploiting workers to boost corporate profits while denying them fair treatment.
On New Year’s Eve, Chadha spent time with delivery riders from Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, and others in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, sharing a video of the interaction on social media. He said, “It’s tragic that millions of delivery riders who helped build instant-commerce companies into what they are today, are now forced to protest just to be heard.” He added, “These platforms didn’t succeed because of algorithms alone. They succeeded because of human sweat and labour.”
(With Inputs From ANI)
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