Dhruv Rathee and Congress’ ‘gig workers’ strike falls flat: Deliveries continue on December 31, OpIndia reality-check exposes the truth
Several social media platforms and some left-wing portals created a buzz over the past few days, claiming that millions of gig workers and delivery partners of Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto and Blinkit would go on strike on 31st December, 2025. Several YouTubers, including Dhruv Rathee, and organisations linked to the Congress party actively amplified this narrative, suggesting that essential delivery services would be disrupted during the New Year celebrations. But the ground reports and reality checks conducted by OpIndia showed a completely different picture. The much-hyped strike failed to take off, with deliveries continuing smoothly, and young gig workers chose to work over calls for protest. OpIndia reality check: Orders accepted and delivered on time To verify the claims of a nationwide strike, OpIndia journalists carried out on-ground checks in multiple locations. Orders were placed on popular delivery apps, and they were accepted without any difficulty. The deliveries also arrived on time, showing no signs of disruption. When delivery partners were spoken to, their response was clear and consistent. Swiggy-Zomato के Gig Workers में भी नहीं चला Dhruv Rathee का प्रोपेगेंडा, भड़काने के बाद भी नहीं की स्ट्राइककरोड़पति जर्मन यूट्यूबर ने कहा था- छोड़ दो एक दिन की कमाई@RitikaChandola ने ख़ुद ऑर्डर प्लेस करके चेक की कथित हड़ताल की स्थितिडिलीवरी वाले भैया बोले- नहीं छोड़ सकते… pic.twitter.com/3oc0FvWXRF— OpIndia.tv (@OpIndia_tv) December 31, 2025 Many said they could not afford to stop working and lose their daily income. “We need to earn, and we have to work,” several delivery partners told reporters, making it evident that the strike call had little connection with the real needs of gig workers on the ground Sanjay Gava and Congress link come under focus During the investigation, an organisation named the All India Gig and Platform Workers Union (AIGPWU) came into focus. The union is chaired by Sanjay Gava. OpIndia found that Sanjay Gava has been associated with the Congress party. Photos of Gava with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have surfaced. When OpIndia called Sanjay Gava, he initially said he had no information about a nationwide gig workers’ protest. However, within half an hour, he changed his statement and claimed that his organisation was indeed involved in the protest call. This sudden change raised questions, especially since the national president of the union appeared unsure about his own organisation’s role. Telangana link and protest demands The first call regarding the protest reportedly came from Telangana. Sheikh Salauddin, president of the Telangana gig worker platform union, was identified as one of the key voices behind the protest call. The main demand raised by the unions was directed at the central government. They demanded that gig workers working with Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart should be officially recognised as employees rather than being called “partners”. According to them, the term partner does not offer the same security and benefits as employee status. Government stand and labour code provisions The central government has already included gig workers under the new labour codes. Several welfare measures and protections for gig and platform workers have been mentioned in these laws. Despite this, Congress and left-leaning groups continue to claim that the government has done nothing for gig workers. Similar protest tactics were earlier used during the Labour Code Bill protests, the farmer movement, and the truck driver agitation. This time, gig workers were projected as the new face of protest politics. Concerns over public disruption during the New Year Such protest calls aim to create inconvenience for the public, especially during important occasions like New Year celebrations. Industrial cities like Kanpur have earlier witnessed disruptions due to protests, and similar attempts are now being made at a national level. Despite the strong online campaign, the ground reality showed that services remained unaffected, livelihoods were protected, and the delivery ecosystem functioned normally. Strike narrative collapses The grand plan to disrupt services and trouble citizens on 31st December failed. Claims made from Lutyens’ Delhi and foreign locations could not shake the resolve of India’s hardworking gig workers. Delivery services ran smoothly, celebrations went on as planned, and the much-hyped strike disappeared without any real impact. In the end, the ground reality spoke louder than online propaganda, and normal life continued uninterrupted.
Several social media platforms and some left-wing portals created a buzz over the past few days, claiming that millions of gig workers and delivery partners of Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto and Blinkit would go on strike on 31st December, 2025.
Several YouTubers, including Dhruv Rathee, and organisations linked to the Congress party actively amplified this narrative, suggesting that essential delivery services would be disrupted during the New Year celebrations.
But the ground reports and reality checks conducted by OpIndia showed a completely different picture. The much-hyped strike failed to take off, with deliveries continuing smoothly, and young gig workers chose to work over calls for protest.
OpIndia reality check: Orders accepted and delivered on time
To verify the claims of a nationwide strike, OpIndia journalists carried out on-ground checks in multiple locations. Orders were placed on popular delivery apps, and they were accepted without any difficulty. The deliveries also arrived on time, showing no signs of disruption. When delivery partners were spoken to, their response was clear and consistent.
Swiggy-Zomato के Gig Workers में भी नहीं चला Dhruv Rathee का प्रोपेगेंडा, भड़काने के बाद भी नहीं की स्ट्राइक
— OpIndia.tv (@OpIndia_tv) December 31, 2025
करोड़पति जर्मन यूट्यूबर ने कहा था- छोड़ दो एक दिन की कमाई@RitikaChandola ने ख़ुद ऑर्डर प्लेस करके चेक की कथित हड़ताल की स्थिति
डिलीवरी वाले भैया बोले- नहीं छोड़ सकते… pic.twitter.com/3oc0FvWXRF
Many said they could not afford to stop working and lose their daily income. “We need to earn, and we have to work,” several delivery partners told reporters, making it evident that the strike call had little connection with the real needs of gig workers on the ground
Sanjay Gava and Congress link come under focus
During the investigation, an organisation named the All India Gig and Platform Workers Union (AIGPWU) came into focus. The union is chaired by Sanjay Gava. OpIndia found that Sanjay Gava has been associated with the Congress party. Photos of Gava with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have surfaced.
When OpIndia called Sanjay Gava, he initially said he had no information about a nationwide gig workers’ protest. However, within half an hour, he changed his statement and claimed that his organisation was indeed involved in the protest call. This sudden change raised questions, especially since the national president of the union appeared unsure about his own organisation’s role.
Telangana link and protest demands
The first call regarding the protest reportedly came from Telangana. Sheikh Salauddin, president of the Telangana gig worker platform union, was identified as one of the key voices behind the protest call.
The main demand raised by the unions was directed at the central government. They demanded that gig workers working with Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart should be officially recognised as employees rather than being called “partners”. According to them, the term partner does not offer the same security and benefits as employee status.
Government stand and labour code provisions
The central government has already included gig workers under the new labour codes. Several welfare measures and protections for gig and platform workers have been mentioned in these laws. Despite this, Congress and left-leaning groups continue to claim that the government has done nothing for gig workers.
Similar protest tactics were earlier used during the Labour Code Bill protests, the farmer movement, and the truck driver agitation. This time, gig workers were projected as the new face of protest politics.
Concerns over public disruption during the New Year
Such protest calls aim to create inconvenience for the public, especially during important occasions like New Year celebrations. Industrial cities like Kanpur have earlier witnessed disruptions due to protests, and similar attempts are now being made at a national level.
Despite the strong online campaign, the ground reality showed that services remained unaffected, livelihoods were protected, and the delivery ecosystem functioned normally.
Strike narrative collapses
The grand plan to disrupt services and trouble citizens on 31st December failed. Claims made from Lutyens’ Delhi and foreign locations could not shake the resolve of India’s hardworking gig workers.
Delivery services ran smoothly, celebrations went on as planned, and the much-hyped strike disappeared without any real impact. In the end, the ground reality spoke louder than online propaganda, and normal life continued uninterrupted.
