Delivery Riders at CJP Protest: 'It Felt Right Doing What I Did'

While national attention has focused on the CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar and the 16 Delhi Metro stations shut amid security arrangements, The Indian Express has reported on a less visible group at the site: the food delivery riders.

What the Indian Express reports

Tashi Tobgyal's July 22 report describes the scene at Janpath, near Jantar Mantar, where delivery riders on two-wheelers have been arriving in such numbers that they occupy half the road.

The article names several riders:

• Virendra, 38 (Swiggy agent): Had completed his fifth delivery to the site that day, with orders coming from Laxmi Nagar and Karkardooma (8+ km away). He says a customer from Hyderabad told him to also eat from the order. He reports customers from the US and Canada have been sending orders with personal messages.
• Roshan, 20: Describes being warned the site was dangerous on his first delivery. "When I arrived, I was a bit surprised as I was delivering the food to a faceless customer... I don't know much about the protest, but it felt right doing what I did."
• Mausam Shah, 27 (from Bihar, 4-year delivery veteran): Reflects on the contrast with his own experience — "I am an Intermediate pass, I don't know how, though... today, here I am realising, because of the crowd and the chaos here, what I lost in life."

The report notes that food items range from burgers and pizzas to chole bhature, tacos, and soft drinks.

The gig worker connection

The Indian Express draws a notable parallel: months before delivering solidarity meals, gig workers like Shah and Virendra had launched their own protest against harsh working hours, low pay, and difficult task requirements. Blinkit (Zomato-owned) riders had protested a drop in base delivery fees from Rs 50 to Rs 20, leaving workers with daily take-home of just Rs 150 after fuel. Shah remarked: "Alas, if we had our protest the way this is, probably this job would have felt dearer."

What we can verify

• The Indian Express published this report on July 22, 2026, bylined Tashi Tobgyal, with named sources and direct quotes from delivery riders at the site. — Indian Express
• Multiple independent outlets (News Pinch, Khabargaon) have separately confirmed food deliveries arriving at Jantar Mantar via Swiggy and Zomato over the past three days.

What remains unverified

• The exact volume of deliveries and number of riders involved at the site cannot be independently confirmed from a single report.
• Whether international orders (US, Canada) are arriving as described is based on rider testimony and has not been independently corroborated.