Rahul Gandhi urges rally participants to shop at local Delhi markets
The Congress leader appealed to protesters attending the November 1 rally to support traders during the festive season.
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday encouraged people attending the INDIA bloc rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to visit local stores. According to reports from India Today, ANI, and The Hindu, Gandhi suggested that those participating in the November 1 protest could also engage in festive shopping to assist local businesses.
Gandhi stated that the rally would not cause financial harm to traders and claimed the BJP is circulating rumours regarding business disruptions. He said that the large number of people expected to travel to Delhi could buy goods from small shops during the Diwali, Chhath, and Bhai Dooj season.
The appeal follows concerns from traders' groups about the timing of the event. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) wrote to Gandhi warning that the rally could disrupt transport and business. CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said the gathering might lead to the closure of approximately 2.5 lakh shops and affect nearly 80 per cent of business across 20 markets.
Goyal noted that daily trade worth Rs 10,000–12,000 crore could be at risk. Similarly, the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association highlighted that the period from Dhanteras to Diwali sees an estimated turnover of around Rs 25,000 crore. The association requested that the rally be rescheduled until after November 10 to protect the livelihoods of traders and staff.