'From Free AI Subscriptions To Gig Worker Exploitation': Every Tech And AI Issue Raghav Chadha Raised In The Indian Parliament During His AAP Tenure

In a shocking turn of events, Raghav Chadha has resigned from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the politics behind it unfurl as we speak, Chadha's contribution through his speehes in the Parliament, are monumental. He built a reputation for raising issues that sit at the intersection of technology, consumer rights, and economic justice. While much of his time was spent on Punjab-specific concerns and party politics, a distinct cluster of his parliamentary interventions dealt with the digital economy and emerging technology.

Here is a lowdown on every tech and AI issue that Raghav Chadha raised in the Parliament during his AAP tenure:

Visit palladian.co.za for more information.

1. 'Make AI In India': India's place in the global AI race (March 2025)

This was arguably his most high-profile tech intervention. During Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha in March 2025, Chadha addressed the House on the urgent need for India to lead the AI revolution, not trail behind it. He said, "Ye samay AI ka hai!" warning that the world is rapidly advancing in AI while India risks being left behind.

Raghav Chadha Deletes Anti-Modi Posts, AAP Leader Saurabh Bharadwaj Alleges Digital Clean Up Amid Rift

He stated, "The US has ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok. China has DeepSeek and Baidu. These countries are miles ahead because they began investing years ago. The real question is: will India be a consumer of AI or a creator of AI?"

Despite this, he emphasised India's potential, "India has the maximum calibre, the most hardworking talent. We contribute 15 percent of the global AI workforce with 4.5 lakh professionals working abroad."

He came with concrete policy advice. His suggestions to make India an AI powerhouse included developing indigenous AI chips and high-performance computing infrastructure. HE suggested incentivising chip manufacturing and setting up dedicated AI computing systems across India. He advocated creating sovereign AI models to ensure data protection, national security, and economic independence providing generous research grants to Indian institutions and AI startups. Furthermore, he urged the stopping of brain drain by offering competitive opportunities to top AI talent to stay and work in India.

'Main Waqt Aane Par Sailab..: Raghav Chadha's Veiled Warning To AAP After RS Snub; Latter Says 'You're Scared Of PM'

2. Free AI subscriptions for every Indian (August 2025)

Four months after his Make AI in India speech, Chadha returned to the Rajya Sabha with a more specific demand. He spoke in Parliament about providing free subscriptions to advanced AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and others for every Indian citizen. He argued that AI should not remain a privilege of the few but a right for all, akin to access to the internet or education.

He cited examples from countries like UAE, Singapore, and China, where governments are already providing free or state-supported access to AI tools, and urged India to keep pace with these forward-looking nations.

3. Digital piracy and the Rs. 20,000 crore problem (August 2024)

Chadha called on the government to take immediate action against piracy on digital platforms during a Rajya Sabha session, stressing the severe financial repercussions of piracy on the film industry and estimating annual losses at Rs. 20,000 crore. "Years of hard work by artists are undermined by piracy, with the industry facing significant financial damage," he said. His comments came amid a 62 percent increase in online piracy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raghav Chadha Leads Mass AAP Rajya Sabha Exodus to BJP: How A Two-Thirds Majority Bypassed Anti-Defection Law

4. Copyright strikes and content creators (December 2025)

Addressing the issue of copyright strikes that plague most content creators in India, Chadha demanded amendments to existing legislation in Parliament, standing by digital creators who face arbitrary demonetisation and content takedowns on platforms like YouTube. This intervention was notable for extending the copyright debate beyond the film industry to independent online creators, a constituency that had not received much legislative attention before.

5. Gig workers : Exploitation hidden behind quick commerce apps and algorithms (2025–2026)

One of Chadha's most sustained tech-related campaigns was around the gig economy, specifically the algorithmic systems that govern how delivery workers are paid, rated, and disciplined by platforms.

During the winter session of Parliament, Chadha urged the government to put a ban on 10-minute delivery services offered by quick-commerce and ultra-fast delivery platforms. He argued that the 10-minute delivery culture creates pressure on gig workers to overspeed and put their lives in danger to meet tight deadlines.

He backed his parliamentary arguments with on-ground evidence. He shared a screenshot of a Blinkit delivery agent's earnings showing that after 28 deliveries over about 15 hours, the worker earned just Rs. 763, which Chadha called 'systemic exploitation hidden behind apps and algorithms.'

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.

6. Mobile data rollover issue (March 2026)

In March 2026, 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. This was framed as a direct consumer rights issue at the intersection of digital infrastructure and fair pricing, a question that affects hundreds of millions of Indian smartphone users.

After AAP removed him as Deputy Leader of the Rajya Sabha, Chadha defended his record in Parliament, saying his focus had been on raising public issues and 'creating impact, not ruckus.' He said Parliament runs on taxpayers' money, and it was his responsibility to raise their concerns.

Read full story at source