Ever since he joined the Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha has carved a niche for himself as an advocate for “kitchen table” issues, focusing on the day-to-day frustrations of the “aam aadmi”. From samosa and chai prices at airports and paternity leave to 10-minute deliveries by convenience stores and other app-based delivery companies, Raghav Chadha raised a spectrum of concerns not often seen in the Rajya Sabha.
And why are we talking about Raghav Chadha? The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday, April 2, wrote to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to remove Raghav Chadha as the party’s Deputy Speaker in the House. The letter also said, according to reports, that Raghav Chadha should not be given time to speak in the House under the AAP quota.
In a post on X, AAP IT cell chief Anurag Dhanda accused Chadha of using the “little time” the party has to get the authorities to “cheap the samosa”.
He said: “In Parliament there is little time for the party to speak – in that we can either fight to save the nation or push for cheaper airport canteen samosas.”
Leveling a series of allegations against the youngest Rajya Sabha MP, Dhanda said, “For the last few years, you have been afraid, Raghav. You are hesitant to speak against Modi. You are hesitant to speak about the real problems of the country.”
But as the rift between AAP and Raghav Chadha deepens, let’s revisit the various issues raised by the Rajya Sabha MP.
Delivery 10 minutes
In January 2026, Raghav Chadha, who renewed his call for better working conditions for workers in the fast food industry, drew attention to the daily problems of deliverymen by dressing up as a BlinkIt delivery man and riding a two-wheeler to deliver items across Delhi.
Claiming he wanted to see life on people, Raghav Chadha posted a picture of himself dressed as a BlinkIt rider with the caption: “Away from boardrooms, on people. I lived their day.”
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He also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, urging the House to look beyond convenience and consider the human cost of ultra-fast delivery. “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 stop,” he said.
A day after he shared the video, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with representatives of Blinkit, Zepto, Zomato and Swiggy, among others, and convinced them to ditch the 10-minute delivery.
Joint ITR return for married couples
Raghav Chadha recently gave a speech in Parliament titled “I will not oppose, I will go with the proposal” where he proposed joint filing of ITR for married couples as he called for a more “humane” financial system.
He pushed for optional joint filing of tax returns so that married couples with unequal incomes would not be penalized.
Claiming the legality of paternity leave
A few days ago, Raghav Chadha also demanded that paid paternity leave should be a legal right in India, arguing that responsibilities should be shared between couples. He emphasized that a woman should not go through childbirth without the support of her husband.
“When a child is born, we congratulate both parents. But the responsibility of care lies with one, the mother. A father should not have to choose between caring for a newborn and keeping his job,” he said in a post on X.
“Sugar water” in fruit juices
As more and more people move towards healthier lifestyle choices, starting with what they consume, Raghav Chadha sought to focus attention on misleading labels on fruit juice packaging. He claimed that major food brands were selling sugar water with “glossy pictures of fruit juices”.
Speaking in Parliament, Chadha said: “You think you’re drinking fruit juice? THINK AGAIN. Big food brands are selling sugar water with glossy pictures of ‘fresh fruit’ on the front. And they hide the truth in tiny fine print on the back of the pack that says ‘Images for marketing purposes only’. SERIOUSLY?”
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“…these misleading brands and false advertising are pushing millions, especially children, into diabetes and the diseases of civilization. It’s time to uncover the truth behind your juice box.”
Compensation for flight delays
Demanding compensation for passengers affected by flight delays, Raghav Chadha sought to highlight that airlines were charging passengers “exorbitantly” for excess baggage allowance.
He said, “But a 4 hour flight delay and the airline doesn’t owe you anything. Airlines track the weight of your luggage by grams. Why don’t they rate your time by the hour? If they can charge you by the gram, they have to compensate you hourly.”
