When Job Creators Become Villains and Keyboard Warriors Become Heroes

India has a strange habit.

We celebrate job creation…
until the person creating the jobs opens their mouth, sets a policy, or reminds us that business is not charity.

Then suddenly, the entrepreneur becomes the villain.

Let’s talk facts first—because feelings don’t pay rent.

Gig-based companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Uber, Ola, Zepto, Rapido, BigBasket, and Urban Company together have created millions of livelihoods in India.

Not “likes”.
Not “retweets”.
Not “engagement”.

Real people. Real money. Real survival.

Delivery partners. Drivers. Warehouse workers. Service professionals. Support staff.

If these companies didn’t exist, what exactly would these people be doing today?

Waiting for a government job that never comes?
Fighting over a shrinking pool of low-paying informal work?
Migrating again, back and forth, chasing daily wages?

This is the uncomfortable question no one shouting online wants to answer.

The Gig Economy Is Not Perfect — But It Is Real

Yes, gig workers protested last week.
Yes, they deserve better protections.
Yes, their concerns are valid.

But here’s the part many people conveniently skip:

The existence of a problem does not erase the value of what was built.

Gig work is not a luxury model.
It is a survival model for millions in India.

It gives:

• Immediate income
• Flexible entry (no degrees, no references)
• A way to earn today, not “after selection”

Is it ideal? No.
Is it exploitative by default? Also no.
Is it better than nothing? For many families — absolutely yes.

Demand reform. Demand safeguards. Demand dignity.

But don’t pretend burning the system down magically feeds people tomorrow.

Why Is Deepinder Goyal Treated Like a Villain?

This is where the debate becomes intellectually lazy.

Deepinder Goyal didn’t inherit Zomato.
He built it.

That means:

• He signed payroll cheques when revenue was uncertain
• He dealt with regulators, investors, vendors, and workers simultaneously
• He made decisions knowing one wrong move could impact thousands of livelihoods

That pressure is invisible to people who’ve never built anything.

Running a company is not a motivational quote.
It’s a daily exercise in balancing:

• Survival vs idealism
• Growth vs stability
• Ethics vs reality

You don’t get to sit on the sidelines, face zero risk, and declare moral superiority just because you’re louder.

Influencers Love Criticising What They’ve Never Carried

Here’s a hard truth.

Most loud critics:

• Have never hired a single person
• Have never worried about payroll at month-end
• Have never negotiated with banks, tax departments, or regulators
• Have never felt the fear of one bad decision destroying years of work

They speak in absolutes because they’ve never lived in trade-offs.

Calling entrepreneurs “evil” is easy.
Building systems that employ millions is not.

Activism vs Performance

Let’s be clear.

Questioning power is necessary.
Fighting for labour rights is necessary.
Strikes, protests, and negotiations are part of democracy.

But demonising builders while glorifying commentators is not activism.

It’s performance.

Real change comes from:

• Policy reform
• Worker representation
• Stronger labour laws
• Platform accountability

Not from turning job creators into cartoon villains and influencers into saviours.

Capitalism Is Messy. So Is Reality.

Capitalism is not clean.
Neither is socialism.
Neither is the real world.

India doesn’t need perfect companies.
It needs more companies.

More people willing to:

• Take risks
• Build platforms
• Create jobs
• Stay accountable

Destroying builders doesn’t help workers.
Improving systems does.

The Final Question India Must Answer

Do we want:

• An economy where millions earn imperfect incomes
  or
• An economy where people shout morally correct slogans while unemployment grows quietly?

You don’t fix inequality by killing opportunity.
You fix it by improving it.

India doesn’t need more noise.
India needs more builders.

And yes — builders must be questioned.
But they should not be crucified just for building.

Because if everyone only talks…
who exactly is going to create the next million jobs?

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