Have you seen how Indians never fail to devise ways to make life more difficult for the already struggling? I’m not being harsh here by my words; I am just noting a trend that calls for serious contemplation. Let’s talk about something that recently created a lot of hype on social media: Urban Company’s “Insta Maids.”
Let’s say you are in your home and suddenly realize that your home requires a clean. A few taps on your phone and a cleaning expert is knocking on your front door in 15 minutes. Convenient, right? That is what Urban Company promised with their new “Insta Maids” service—instant access to someone who will clean your dishes, mop your floors, clean your home, or even cook your dinner. It is all at your fingertips and you pay per hour.
But then it gets complicated. The Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers were not hesitant when they stated this is “blatant exploitation of gig platform domestic workers.” What they’re asserting is that the service is prioritizing “speed over dignity” and exacerbating bad working conditions. Many individuals on social media joined in on this criticism, stating the company’s approach is harsh and unfair.
Before we get upset or blame someone too quickly, let’s consider: Is this action really new for our society? Or is it merely one more instance of something very fundamental to how we operate?
The Uncomfortable Habit of Weird Indians
If we look closely at Indian society, we can see an uneasy pattern: wherever a person happens to be less prosperous, socially or economically, then somehow or other they tend to be treated with fewer respects than are their due. It’s as if vulnerability makes a human being a target of exploitation.
Do you think I am wrong? Let us look at some examples which can make us a bit uneasy.
Manual Scavenging: Our National Disgrace!
For those perhaps unaware of what the term entails, manual scavenging means the manual removal of human excreta from manholes, or cleaning them by another human being. Even though it was legally prohibited in 2013, this practice still exists in many parts of our nation where there are no effective sewage system or safe fecal sludge management practices.
In the past, this work has been made to bear on individuals at the lower end of our society. There are numerous tragic stories on the internet that reflect the enduring agony of individuals caught in this work. What is particularly disturbing is that this agony tends to pass on from generation to generation, establishing a vicious cycle of shame that is difficult to break.
All political parties that come into power blame each other rather than taking some real step to put an end to this evil once and for all. We have been independent for seven decades, yet we still have not invented some technology to put an end to a practice that deprives human beings of their fundamental dignity. If this is not exploitation of those who are weaker, then I don’t know what.
Hinduja Group: When even the strongest ones make mistakes.
You might think that it is just startups, small businesses or unorganized industries that engage in exploitation, but it is not that easy. Look at the last year case of the renowned Hinduja Group. In June 2024, Hinduja Group were seriously accused of human trafficking, with claims indicating that their workers worked for 15 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week. They were accused of workers’ passports being confiscated and that they were regularly brought in on short-term tourist visas procured illegally.
In reaction to the “Insta Maids” Urban Company scandal, one social media user commented: “It’s surprising how some startups and the venture capital ecosystem have become so insensitive in utilizing employees for so-called product innovation.” The Hinduja case, however, indicates that this is not something that only happens with new startups—well-established family businesses that have existed for decades can be guilty of the same thing as well.
The Culture of Overwork within Corporations
Do you remember that recent viral post on Reddit, that describes a manager who halted Holi festivities in the office and also refused leave on the festival. The worst part? Employees were instructed to be color-free in order to get into the office. This manager is clearly taking pointers from individuals like Infosys’s Narayan Murthy and L&T’s Subramanium, who prefer longer working hours.
But let’s be honest about what this is: a new form of slavery. Employees work tirelessly long hours for relatively modest pay, while founders and CEOs harvest hundreds of times more rewards. When industry leaders celebrate such imbalanced work cultures, aren’t they actually normalizing the exploitation of vulnerable workers who can’t afford to say no?
The Unpaid Internship Scam
And then there is perhaps the most pathetic form of exploitation: companies advertising full-time, 8-hour in-office internships with ‘no stipends’. The payoff? A vague guarantee of “letters of recommendation” and potential “future job offers.”
Think about this for a moment. A recent college graduate, who probably spent a lot of money on education, is supposed to work for 3-6 months for free. They are providing tangible value to the company but are not being rewarded for it. If we are honest, isn’t this just exploitation disguised in business speak?
Let’s Take Some Time for Some Soul-Searching.
I am not suggesting all Indians or Indian companies exploit people—far from it. There are many individuals and companies striving to introduce better and more equitable conditions for all workers. But we cannot deny the fact that there is a chronic problem that must be addressed.
The Urban Company case is just the latest in a string of incidents that should cause us to look inward at how we treat vulnerable individuals within our society. It’s simple enough to denounce a specific company or service, but perhaps the more difficult and necessary work is to find and speak out against the cultural attitudes that permit such exploitation to take place in the first place.
The issue may not necessarily be one concerning Urban Company’s “Insta Maids” or even a particular incident. It could be one concerning how we all opt to put convenience and thrift over human dignity. It could be one concerning how we do not care about systems which put a different value on different opportunities and, consequently, different individuals.
The next time we’re outraged by a news report of worker exploitation, we could ask ourselves: In what minor ways do I contribute to or benefit from such unfair systems? How do I perpetuate such patterns in the course of daily life, or how do my attitudes assist in advancing them, instead of undermining them?
Creating a more just society is not finger-pointing at convenient villains. It’s noticing how unequal treatment has become the new normal in our society and choosing to do better, one interaction at a time.
The odd fondness to prey on the weak is not a political or corporate problem—it is an issue of humanity. And it is something that we Indians who are concerned about the future of our country need to confront with honesty, compassion, and an actual dedication to change.
