Before the dust could settle on his online clash with Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, comedian Kunal Kamra has now turned his attention to Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa, taking on the quick commerce platform in a fresh battle.
On New Year’s Eve, as Blinkit celebrated its busiest day ever, Dhindsa shared a post highlighting the record number of orders the quick commerce service had processed, including items like 1,22,356 packs of condoms, 45,531 bottles of mineral water, and 22,322 units of Partysmart, a post-party recovery product. He also boasted about the platform’s highest-ever orders per minute (OPM), orders per hour (OPH), and tips given to delivery partners.
However, Kamra, who has built a reputation for calling out corporate practices, quickly shifted the focus of the conversation. In a reply to Dhindsa’s post, Kamra demanded transparency regarding Blinkit’s treatment of its delivery partners. “Can you also enlighten us with data on the average wages you paid your ‘Delivery Partners’ in 2024?” he asked.
Can you also enlighten us with data on the average wages you paid your “Delivery Partners” in 2024… https://t.co/v0yBlvobCQ
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) December 31, 2024
Kamra’s criticism of the platform’s treatment of gig workers continued in a longer post, where he accused platform owners of exploiting their workers. “While we enjoy the convenience of quick commerce, I’d like my first tweet of 2025 to be about the dark side,” wrote Kamra. He described platform owners as “landlords without owning any land” and claimed they profit from “freedom that they can’t afford” while paying wages that fail to meet workers’ aspirations. He further argued that the gig economy was a modern-day form of exploitation, likening platform owners to “thugs” who capitalise on user data without fairly compensating the workers who make it possible.
While we enjoy the convenience of quick commerce I’d like my first tweet of 2025 to be about the dark side.
Platform owners exploit gig workers & they aren’t job creators.
They are landlords without owning any land.
They don’t have a bone of creativity or innovation all…
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) December 31, 2024
Kamra’s comments come amid growing concerns over the treatment of gig workers, particularly in India’s rapidly expanding quick commerce sector. Companies like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart are popular for their fast delivery services but have been accused of offering insufficient pay and job security to their workers, who are often classified as ‘partners’ rather than employees. This means gig workers typically face inconsistent pay, without the benefits and stability offered by traditional employment.
While Kamra’s posts sparked a heated debate on social media, they also gained significant traction. Many users expressed support for Kamra’s criticism, with some pointing out that gig workers in India often earn below the minimum wage after factoring in expenses. One commenter summed up the sentiment, saying, “Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato, Swiggy. All of them. Zero creativity, only exploitation.”
Perfectly put. I am wondering why is there no regulation right now? Is the lobby so big and so powerful, that it can run riot freely?
Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato, Swiggy. All of them. Zero creativity- only exploitation. The delivery workers are stretched to a great extent for… pic.twitter.com/edIcBu4F4C
— Ganeshan (@ganeshan_iyer) December 31, 2024
Despite the mixed reactions, the debate has illuminated the central role gig workers play in the success of quick commerce platforms and the growing need for a more equitable balance between customer convenience and fair compensation for the workers behind the scenes who often have to go way beyond their duties to serve the seekers of convenience in our country.
