The traders’ body says the rally near Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan could disrupt markets during the peak Dhanteras and Diwali shopping season
New Delhi: The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to postpone the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally in Delhi until after November 10, warning of potential business losses of Rs 10,000 crore during the festive shopping season.
In a letter to Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the rally could affect wholesale and retail markets around Ramlila Maidan ahead of Dhanteras on November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhai Dooj on November 10.
Goyal said Delhi records business worth around Rs 25,000 crore across sectors during the Dhanteras period. The traders’ body also claimed that rallies, marches and road closures had already caused losses of around Rs 3,000 crore in October.
According to the CTI, around 20 wholesale and retail markets within a five-kilometre radius of Ramlila Maidan could face disruptions due to traffic diversions, barricading and restrictions on public transport, affecting deliveries and customer footfall.
While acknowledging the right to peaceful protest, the organisation appealed to political parties to avoid large rallies in commercial areas during the festive period.
The November 1 rally is intended to intensify the INDIA bloc’s campaign over alleged “vote chori” and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
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