Raghav Chadha Raises Issue of Prepaid Recharge Users in Parliament

Raghav Chadha, a member of the Rajya Sabha, raised the issue of alleged exploitation of prepaid mobile recharge customers in Parliament on Wednesday. Speaking on the matter, Chadha said that if a customer’s recharge expires, it is understandable that outgoing calls may be stopped. However, he termed the blocking of incoming calls after the expiry of a recharge plan as completely arbitrary. He pointed out that once a recharge ends, not only are users unable to make calls, but others are also unable to contact them. In addition, essential messages such as OTPs cannot be received on their phones. According to him, this situation can leave people helpless, particularly during emergencies. Chadha also criticized the 28-day recharge plan, calling it a “scam.” He explained that while a year consists of 12 months, the 28-day validity forces customers to recharge their phones 13 times in a year. He argued that recharge plans should ideally follow calendar months of 30 or 31 days, as the current cycle compels users to pay for an additional recharge annually. The Rajya Sabha member further stated that mobile phones are no longer a luxury but have become a basic necessity for ordinary citizens. Therefore, he emphasized that telecom companies should adopt a fair and transparent approach while dealing with consumers.