Zomato CEO’s Comment On Gig Workers’ Strike Sparks Mega Debate, Many Back Him: ‘Even Tech Industry Doesn’t Pay...’

Zomato CEO’s Comment On Gig Workers’ Strike Sparks Mega Debate, Many Back Him: ‘Even Tech Industry Doesn’t Pay...’

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal's statement on India's gig economy and delivery services being largely unaffected by calls for a nationwide strike by gig workers on December 31 has sparked debate. Goyal has claimed that Zomato and Blinkit recorded over 75 lakh deliveries on New Year's Eve, an all-time high. In a series of posts on X, the Zomato CEO stated that the country's gig economy system was one of its “largest organised job creation engines" and asked people not to get “swept up by narratives" that “vested interests" were pushing forward about quick commerce and the strike.

“One thought for everyone: if a system were fundamentally unfair, it would not consistently attract and retain so many people who choose to work within it," the Zomato boss wrote.

One more thing. Our 10 minute delivery promise is enabled by the density of stores around your homes. It's not enabled by asking delivery partners to drive fast. Delivery partners don't even have a timer on their app to indicate what was the original time promised to the…— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) January 1, 2026

Deepinder Goyal Defends 10-Minute Deliveries

In another post, Goyal defended the 10-minute delivery concept, explaining that it was enabled by the density of stores present around consumers and not by asking gig workers to drive fast. “Delivery partners don't even have a timer on their app to indicate what was the original time promised to the customer. After you place your order on Blinkit, it is picked and packed within 2.5 minutes. And then the rider drives an average of under 2 km in about 8 minutes. That's an average of 15kmph," Goyal explained.

He did admit that “no system was perfect" and vowed to work towards making things better. However, Goyal alleged that the system was being portrayed negatively on social media by individuals “who don't understand how our system works and why."

One more thing. Our 10 minute delivery promise is enabled by the density of stores around your homes. It's not enabled by asking delivery partners to drive fast. Delivery partners don't even have a timer on their app to indicate what was the original time promised to the…— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) January 1, 2026

Users Question Deepinder Goyal's Justification

Many users, including stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, remained unconvinced by the Zomato chief's explanation. Kamra promised to “never tweet about gig workers again" if Goyal could tell how much hourly payment gig workers received over the past year.

How much did they get paid hourly over the last one year. It's just another number you have it, give it & end the debate…If you tell me they were At least paid 50 rupees every hour they were on the app. I'll never tweet about gig workers again… https://t.co/CRrEe1bXUd— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) January 1, 2026

The official account of Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union claimed that the record number of Zomato and Blinkit deliveries was a sign of “desperation" as workers could not afford to log out.

Dear @deepigoyal ji, Record deliveries don't prove fairness—only desperation.75 lakh orders were delivered because workers cannot afford to log out, not because the system treats them justly.

Choice without security is not a choice. 1/3 https://t.co/fFGVTrC25S pic.twitter.com/jOSNcQwCb9

— Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (@TGPWU) January 1, 2026

Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, the Member of Parliament for Mumbai North Central, met with gig workers on December 31 to express her solidarity with their demands. “I fully support their right to fair wages and better working conditions. Neither profit nor convenience can be placed above humanity," she said.

Met gig workers working for various e-commerce and quick delivery platforms. I fully support their right to fair wages and better working conditions. Neither profit nor convenience can be placed above humanity. #GigWorkers #HumanRights #FairWages pic.twitter.com/AQFtPPNwwy— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) January 1, 2026

Goyal Finds Support On X

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma was among those who defended Deepinder Goyal. The entrepreneur said that delivery services like Blinkit were a “modern tech-enabled assembly line for service delivery" and compared them to calling a cab nearby that is 10 minutes away.

I wonder why people don't get this?It's like calling a car which is near you/10 mins away. Obviously, it is not the same person who is packing the order & bringing it fatafat. It is a modern tech-enabled assembly line for service delivery! Capitalmind AMC CEO Deepak Shenoy wrote, “The point about the delivery folks not participating in the strike is simply because they don't feel oppressed enough. Almost everyone cribs about their job. Even founders do but they don't have anyone to blame. It's ok to feel like you deserve more, but entirely something else to give up your income for that ask."

It's sometimes far less than 10m for me, and I don't care, i would easily wait 30m, but the dark store is like 200meters away so they could walk and deliver in 10.

The point about the delivery folks not participating in the strike is simply because they don't feel oppressed… https://t.co/VHi79ATrz8

— Deepak Shenoy (@deepakshenoy) January 1, 2026

Others said that they were not in support of gig workers striking and claimed that people supporting their demands, like stand-up comic Vir Das, were “performative jokers".

Hope they remain on strike forever and kill the golden goose that's feeding them.Nope, I'm not standing in solidarity with this stupidity.

Gig workers can abandon their tasks and go for NREGA instead, I'm sure that's a better opportunity.

Meanwhile we app-dependent lazy… https://t.co/IrHxtSUiUy

— Shivam Vahia (@ShivamVahia) January 1, 2026

Some users quoted Goyal's statement about the gig economy and said the sector was “important because we have no other source of large-scale job creation for hundreds of thousands of people."

few realize this – "the gig economy is one of India's largest organised job creation engines"the gig economy in india is important because we have no other source of large scale job creation for hundreds of thousands of people https://t.co/vdu914Fh79

— anmol maini (@anmolm_) January 1, 2026

Many said that the wages were dependent on market forces like demand and supply, adding that gig workers traded job stability for flexibility willingly.

As a CA I was hoping you'd understand 1) wages are dictated by market forces – demand & supply2) distorting market forces = rising costs = costs passed onto consumers 3) Gig workers trade job stability for flexibility as a choice. https://t.co/mzhLTOaUHz

— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) January 1, 2026

Talking about the Rs 40,000 salary demands reportedly put forward by the gig workers, one user said that it would mean that expenses would be passed on to the customers, resulting in fewer orders, and ultimately, more layoffs of the workers. Another felt the demand was unreasonable, calling delivery services a “side gig" and not a main job.

Minimum pay of ₹40K means more expenses to customer. This will lead to less orders and thus, more layoffs of these workers.Preparation to kill one booming sector of emerging economy.

Again, one communist professor of humanities at premier institutions had promoted this idea. https://t.co/9RQ1Y1dbba

— Harshil (હર્ષિલ) (@MehHarshil) January 1, 2026

Tech industry where skill is important don't even pay 40k. Delivery service is a sector where the barrier to enter is low and they cannot have a pay of 40k.The quick commerce companies can remove the 10 minute delivery to relieve the unnecessary stress.

This is a side gig to… https://t.co/GtIkdqYfGT

— Karthik Rangarajan (@karthikRanga92) January 1, 2026

“It will be useful to check on the Blinkit app how far the store is from your home. In my case it is 400 metres. That is how I get the delivery in under 10 mins. The riders are not forced to take risks. Very often they are on transport that cannot go at speed and very often they do not even go onto a main road," an individual pointed out.

It will be useful to check on the Blinkit app how far the store is from your home. In my case it is 400 metres. That is how I get the delivery in under 10 mins. The riders are not forced to take risks. Very often they are on transport that cannot go at speed and very often they… https://t.co/ro9ZYPjRWg— Sanjeev Bikhchandani (@sbikh) January 1, 2026

Others expressed their support for Goyal's statement and said many delivery workers worked on New Year's Eve due to better incentives.

I unambiguously support Eternal & peers on this issue. Overwhelming majority of delivery staff worked on NYE because they were better off by doing so. Just as it is on all other days of the year. A disgruntled minority is free to protest for itself but not disrupt the rest. https://t.co/Kif98xZcsh— Buggy Human (@SridharanAnand) January 2, 2026

Deepinder, full support to you for standing up against the Uniongiri clearly driven by vested interests. Also respect for Delivery Partners for not giving into Strike Jeevis despite possible threats. All apps were completely unaffected in most of the cities.— Darshan Pathak (@darshanpathak) January 1, 2026

One person said that while they were not downplaying the issues faced by gig workers, “prosperity can't come before hard work from all factions."

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Not downplaying the issues of gig workers. But prosperity can't come before hard work from all factions. Always good to be at work, rather than not getting any work.— Kunal Gandhi (@kunalvg) January 1, 2026

Deepinder Goyal's post and the debate around it highlight how gig workers and the condition of gig workers continue to be a point of contention among many.

Source: News18
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