After multiple letters to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Delhi’s traders have turned to his INDIA bloc allies, including Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, and Uddhav Thackeray, seeking their intervention to save the peak Diwali shopping season.
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) wrote to the Opposition leaders, urging them to persuade the Congress to reschedule Sunday’s rally at Ramlila Maidan to a date after November 10-11.
“We are not opposing the rally. “We appealed to Rahul Gandhi, but he refused. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) wrote to the Opposition leaders, urging them to persuade the Congress to reschedule Sunday’s rally at Ramlila Maidan to a date after November 10-11. At stake, according to the traders’ body, is daily business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore across around 20 major wholesale and retail markets in central and Old Delhi. CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the association was not against the rally but feared that the expected gathering of 10 lakh people and 15,000-20,000 vehicles could bring commercial activity to a standstill. These markets receive around 5,000 trucks and tempos carrying goods from Delhi’s industrial areas every day, while another 3,000 vehicles transport merchandise to NCR cities and other parts of the country, according to CTI. The November 1 rally is part of the Opposition’s campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and its demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
We are pleading with folded hands to protect our livelihoods during the peak Diwali season,” he said. CTI fears the gathering could create “lockdown-like” traffic conditions across central and Old Delhi, affecting markets such as Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Chawri Bazar, Karol Bagh and Daryaganj. Goyal said the association had already approached Rahul Gandhi three times but could not persuade him to change the rally’s date. Now our last hope is with you,” he said in his appeal to the INDIA bloc leaders. Rahul Gandhi had earlier responded to traders’ concerns, saying the protest could end in “30 seconds” if Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed the Chief Election Commissioner.
