Comedian Kunal Kamra rang in the New Year with a jibe at Blinkit’s gig economy model, accusing the Zomato-backed platform’s CEO, Albinder Dhindsa, of exploiting delivery workers.
Kamra, in a post on X, branded platform owners as “landlords without owning any land,” as he questioned how much Blinkit paid its delivery partners in 2024.
The controversy erupted after Dhindsa shared Blinkit’s record-breaking stats from New Year’s Eve. The quick-commerce app, which promises 10-minute deliveries, reported its highest-ever orders in a single day, including the largest orders per minute (OPM), orders per hour (OPH), and total tips given to delivery partners. Among the night’s top purchases: 1,22,356 packs of condoms, 45,531 bottles of water, 22,322 PartySmart tablets, and 2,434 packets of Eno. Dhindsa’s post quipped, “Prep for after party?”
Kamra didn’t find the numbers amusing. “While we enjoy the convenience of quick commerce, let’s not ignore the dark side,” he said, accusing Blinkit and other platforms of offering “freedom workers can’t afford” while paying wages that fail to meet aspirations.
He called the platform owners “thugs using data as oil without paying for the oil fields” and demanded Dhindsa disclose average wages paid to delivery partners last year.
Dhindsa has yet to respond.
Blinkit claims delivery partners can earn up to ₹50,000 per month, including incentives and benefits. Workers are paid weekly, with flexible shifts ranging from 4 to 10 hours. Perks include ₹10 lakh in accidental and medical insurance and joining bonuses of up to ₹4,000.
Despite these claims, Kamra argued that gig workers remain underpaid and overworked, warning that such models are ripe for regulatory intervention. “Someday there will be regulation that humbles them,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Kamra has taken on a tech CEO. In 2024, he sparred with Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal over the after-sales service of Ola’s electric scooters. Kamra had accused Ola of failing customers with poor service and limited repair options, sparking a heated exchange on social media that highlighted growing dissatisfaction with gig-driven business models.