Gig workers, data rollover, airfares: How Raghav Chadha raised common people's issues - and created impact

After the Aam Aadmi Party removed him as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, saying he was not raising "hard" issues against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was doing "soft PR", Raghav Chadha defended his record in Parliament, saying his focus had been on raising public issues and "create impact, not ruckus".

In a video message, Chadha said Parliament runs on taxpayers' money, and it was his responsibility to raise their concerns. He said his interventions had focused on issues such as GST, income tax, air pollution in Delhi, water concerns in Punjab, public healthcare, education, railway passenger issues, menstrual health, unemployment, and inflation.

Must Read: Raghav Chadha’s net worth: How much does the AAP politician earn

Chadha said he went to the Rajya Sabha to make an impact through policy discussions rather than disruptions, and pointed to several issues he had raised where policy discussions or government action followed.

Key issues Chadha raised in the Rajya Sabha

Gig workers and 10-minute delivery

One of the issues he highlighted was the working conditions of gig workers, particularly delivery personnel working under the '10-minute delivery' timelines for quick commerce platforms. He also cited a viral video in which a Blinkit delivery agent claimed he earned ₹763 for completing 28 deliveries over nearly 15 hours.

Chadha called it "systemic exploitation".

In January 2026, the government intervened and asked quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy to stop promoting 10-minute grocery delivery services. The companies later agreed to remove 10-minute delivery from their branding after a meeting with Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Mobile data rollover and telecom plans

In March this year, Chadha raised the issue of unused mobile data being forfeited by telecom companies at the end of each day despite being paid for by consumers. He argued that unused data should be allowed to roll over into the next cycle or be transferable among family members.

"You are billed for 2GB. You use 1.5GB. The remaining 0.5GB disappears as the day ends. No refund. No rollover. Just gone. This is not an accident. This is policy. Unused data should carry forward into the next cycle, so consumers can use what they have already paid for," he contended.

Days after the issue was raised, Mint reported that Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia had urged telecom service providers to market their 30-day plans a little more. According to the report, the minister said the telecom regulator Trai has clearly mandated that the bundle of plans that any operator comes out with must have "a one-time plan, a custom plan, and all three categories of plans that have a 30-day plan".

"I cannot say to you that you only need to have a 30-day plan...But in that bouquet, you must have a 30-day plan," said Scindia, adding that the regulator’s order is complied with by all the operators.

Airfares and airport food prices

The AAP MP had also raised the issue of rising airfares and high food prices at airports, arguing that economy air travel was no longer affordable for the average traveller. Quoting his own experience, he cited high domestic ticket prices and expensive food and beverages at airports.

"Economy class is no longer economical. Before coming to the debate in this house today, I was checking flight rates on my phone. If I have to travel from Delhi to Mumbai tomorrow, the ticket costs 14,000 rupees. The cheapest one-way ticket from Delhi to Patna is 12,000 rupees, and from Delhi to Bangalore, it’s 16,000 rupees," Chadha said.

He also criticised high food prices at airports. "An ordinary person is forced to fill their stomach by drinking water at the airport because airport food is so expensive!"

In December 2024, the Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the UDAN Yatri Cafe at Kolkata airport to provide affordable food options for passengers. The scheme has since expanded to multiple airports, offering tea and water at ₹10 and snacks at ₹20.

LTCG, joint tax filing: Issues still pending

While policy movement followed some of the issues he raised, Chadha said several concerns he flagged - including the removal of long-term capital gains tax for retail investors, joint income tax filing for married couples to avoid penalising uneven household incomes, and restoring full income tax exemption on disability pensions for wounded soldiers - are yet to see action.