Zomato Courts Fresh Controversy; Delivery Boys To Go On Strike From Tomorrow Against Delivering Beef, Pork

Zomato food delivery boys in Kolkata have decided to go on an indefinite strike from the festival of Eid which falls on Monday.

Image: ANI

New Delhi: Days after a food and religion Twitter storm, food aggregator Zomato is again in the news, this time because of its delivery agents going on an indefinite strike in Kolkata complaining against delivering beef and pork in Howrah. The food aggregator has courted second controversy within a fortnight, this time inside the company itself. Food delivery boys in Kolkata have decided to go on an indefinite strike from  the festival of Eid which falls on Monday. Protesting against the delivery of beef and pork, the delivery boys complained that the food being delivered by them hurts their religious sentiments. The executives have objected to delivering beef or pork during the festive celebrations of Bakrid or Eid al-Adha this week. They have also refused to deliver the food which is against their religious beliefs. Muslim delivery agents refuse to deliver pork items to customers , while Hindu delivery agents oppose delivery of  beef items. Beside this they have payment related issues also. Some of the protesters also stated that the company is forcing them to deliver food which is against their religion. "The company is not listening to our demands and forcing us to deliver beef & pork against our will. We have been on strike for a week now," news agency ANI quoted them as saying. The company said that it is looking to resolve the issue "as quickly as possible". “In a country as diverse as India, it is impossible to ensure that vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences are factored into delivery logistics. Delivery partners are unequivocally made to understand the practical nature of the job as they choose to enter the workforce. All our partners understand this fully. There is a small group of partners in Howrah who have raised concerns and we are looking to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," it said in a statement.