The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has issued a renewed appeal to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, requesting the postponement of the INDIA bloc’s scheduled protest rally in Delhi on November 1. The traders' body is seeking to move the event to a date following Diwali, citing the potential for significant economic disruption during the peak shopping season.
CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal formally addressed the request to Gandhi, with copies also sent to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, urging him to consult with alliance partners regarding the venue or timing. The appeal follows a social media statement from Gandhi on Monday, in which he declined an earlier request to reschedule, asserting that the protest would proceed as planned.
In his post, Gandhi stated, "To every trader in Delhi: We love you and hear you. The government shut the metro, sealed our roads and locked down our capital. With a stolen vote nothing is safe - your shop, your savings, your children's future." He further added, "Tell Modi to sack accused no. 4, Gyanesh Kumar, and the protests will stop in 30 seconds."
Traders operating in 20 major markets surrounding the Ramlila Maidan, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, and Karol Bagh, have expressed alarm over the logistics of the rally. The CTI estimates that the event could draw up to 10 lakh people, with 15,000 to 20,000 buses and numerous private vehicles expected to enter the city. The organization warned that such a massive influx would likely paralyze access to wholesale and retail hubs.
Highlighting the potential financial impact, the CTI noted that a smaller protest of 3,000 to 4,000 people at Jantar Mantar on October 10 resulted in widespread area sealing and an estimated loss of Rs 3,000 crore. The traders' body projects that a rally of the proposed scale could cause losses reaching Rs 10,000 crore by bringing business in Old Delhi to a standstill.
In its letter, the CTI questioned whether roads would be barricaded as early as October 31 and if customers would be able to reach shops during the critical pre-Diwali period. As an alternative to postponement, the traders have suggested relocating the rally to venues such as the Burari Grounds or Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to minimize the impact on commercial activity. The November 1 rally is part of an ongoing opposition campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
