The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has written to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi a day after he indirectly rejected the traders’ demand to postpone the India bloc’s proposed protest rally in the capital on November 1 until after Diwali in a social media post.
Following Gandhi’s message that he intends to proceed with the November 1 rally, traders from 20 major markets surrounding Ramlila Maidan have expressed deep concern and disappointment.
CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal, in a detailed letter to Rahul Gandhi, requested that the mega rally planned for November 1 at Ramlila Maidan be rescheduled to a date after Diwali. CTI, the apex body representing traders and entrepreneurs in Delhi, also sent a similar copy of the letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, urging him to discuss the matter with the alliance partners.
In an X post on Monday, Gandhi said the protest could be stopped in “30 seconds” if Prime Minister Narendra Modi “sacked” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“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,” the Leader of the Opposition wrote in Hindi on X.
Questions have been pouring in from traders over whether barricades will be set up as early as October 31 and roads closed. They are also seeking clarity on whether shops will be able to operate on October 31 and November 1, and whether customers will be able to reach them.
In its letter, the CTI expressed further concern over the large number of vehicles expected to arrive in the capital, which could lead to severe congestion around Ramlila Maidan. It estimated that 15,000 to 20,000 buses may arrive in the capital carrying 10 lakh protesters, apart from the private cars of political leaders.
The traders anticipate an impact on businesses and markets such as Chandni Chowk, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Sadar Bazar, Sarojini Bazaar, Kashmere Gate, Nabi Karim and Karol Bagh.
According to the CTI, a similar protest involving 3,000 to 4,000 people at Jantar Mantar on October 10 brought central Delhi to a standstill, causing traders losses of Rs 3,000 crore. The traders stated that a rally involving 10 lakh people on November 1 would bring business across Delhi to a complete standstill, resulting in losses of Rs 10,000 crore.
The CTI further suggested that if the rally could not be postponed, it could be shifted to another venue, such as Burari Ground or Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where it would have less impact on the markets.