Ever since he joined the Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha has carved a niche as an advocate of ‘kitchen table’ issues, focusing on the daily frustrations of an ‘aam aadmi’. From samosa and chai prices at airports and paternity leaves to 10-minute deliveries by quick commerce and other app-based delivery businesses – Raghav Chadha has raised a spectrum of concerns that we don’t often see being raised in the Rajya Sabha.
And why are we talking about Raghav Chadha? The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday, 2 April, wrote to the Rajya Sabha secretariat seeking the removal of Raghav Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the House. The letter, according to reports, also states that Raghav Chadha should not be allotted time to speak in the House under AAP’s quota.
In a post on X, AAP IT cell chief Anurag Dhanda has accused Chadha of using the “little time” the party gets to push the authorities to “make samosa cheaper”.
He said, “In Parliament, the party gets just a little time to speak—in that, we can either struggle to save the nation or push to make samosas cheaper in the airport canteen.”
Making a number of allegations against the youngest Rajya Sabha MP, Dhanda said, “For the past few years, you’ve been scared, Raghav. You hesitate to speak against Modi. You hesitate to speak on the real issues of the country.”
But as the rift between AAP and Raghav Chadha widens, let’s revisit the variety of issues raised by the Rajya Sabha MP.
10-minute delivery
Renewing his call for better work conditions for employees in the quick commerce sector, Raghav Chadha, in January 2026, drew attention to the daily grind of delivery agents by dressing as a BlinkIt delivery agent and riding pillion on a two-wheeler to deliver items across Delhi.
Asserting that he wanted to see life at the grassroots, Raghav Chadha posted a picture of himself dressed as a BlinkIt rider with a caption: “Away from boardrooms, at the grassroots. I lived their day”.
He had also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, urging the House to look beyond convenience and consider the human cost of ultra-fast deliveries. “I want to tell you that these people are not robots. They are also someone’s father, husband, brother, or son. The House should think about them. And the cruelty of this 10-minute delivery should end,” he had said.
A day after he shared the video, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with, among others, representatives of Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy, persuading them to do away with 10-minute delivery.
Joint ITR tax filing for married couples
Recently, Raghav Chadha delivered a speech in Parliament titled “I Do Not Oppose, I Rise to Propose,” where he proposed joint ITR tax filing for married couples, as he called for a more “humane” financial system.
He sought the optional Joint Filing of Income Tax Returns so that married couples with uneven incomes are not penalised.
Seeking legality of paternity leave
A few days ago, Raghav Chadha also demanded that paid paternity leave should be made a legal right in India, as he asserted the need for shared responsibilities among couples. He emphasised that a woman should not go through childbirth without the support of her husband.
“When a child is born, both parents are congratulated. But caregiving responsibility falls on one, the mother. A father should not have to choose between caregiving for his newborn and keeping his job,” he said in a post on X.
‘Sugar water’ in fruit juices
As more and more people are moving towards making healthier life choices, starting with what they consume, Raghav Chadha sought to put the spotlight on misleading branding on fruit juice packets. He alleged that big food brands were selling sugar water with “shiny fruit juice pictures”.
Speaking in Parliament, Chadha said, “You think you’re drinking Fruit Juice? THINK AGAIN. Big food brands are selling sugar water with shiny ‘fresh fruit’ pictures on the front. And hiding the truth in tiny fine print at the back of packet which reads ‘Pictures for marketing purposes only’. SERIOUSLY?”
“…these misleading branding and false advertisement are pushing millions, especially kids, into diabetes and lifestyle diseases. Time to expose the truth behind your juice box.”
Compensation for flight delays
Demanding compensation for passengers affected by flight delays, Raghav Chadha sought to highlight that the airlines charge passengers “exorbitantly” for luggage exceeding the allowed limit.
He said, “But 4 hours of flight delay and the airline owes you nothing. Airlines track your baggage weight to the gram. Why don’t they value your time to the hour? If they can charge you by the gram, they must compensate you by the hour.”
And there are many more!
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Chanchal
Chanchal is an Assistant Editor at LiveMint, where she handles the desk as a shifthead, works on political reporting, general news coverage, offering key political developments from India and around the world. With over 11 years of experience in digital journalism, Chanchal brings a strong editorial perspective shaped by years of writing on political developments across the world, and newsroom leadership. At LiveMint, she focuses on delivering accurate, insightful stories with clarity and context.
Based in Delhi, Chanchal has worked with leading media organizations before she joined Mint. those include India Today where she worked as a shift head until 2022. She has also spent years at India.com, education vertical of India Today and a well-reputed publishing house earlier in her career as a trainee reporter. Her work and contribution to journalism have been recognized with the Digistar Award twice at HT.
Outside the newsroom, she enjoys Netflix, painting, reading, sketching and crocheting. She can be reached at her official email address, chanchal@htdigital.in for any news leads. She is particularly interested in all stories linked to elections, public policy, and governance reforms, and strives to break down complex political issues into understandable narratives for readers across digital platforms, ensuring depth, balance, and factual integrity. Outside of work, she scrolls through Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit and also X.
