NEW DELHI: The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) on Wednesday sought a 20-minute meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to express concerns over possible business disruptions due to the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi and urge its postponement until after Diwali.
In a letter to Gandhi, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said representatives of 20 markets wanted to explain how the rally, expected to attract around 10 lakh people, could affect business during the festive season.
This is the second letter sent by the traders’ body to Gandhi in four days. On October 24, the CTI had urged the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha to postpone the rally, citing the importance of festive sales for traders.
“We don’t want a fight; we want dialogue. Rahul ji himself says that he listens to everyone, listens to the voice of small traders. So, we traders from 20 markets are asking him for 20 minutes. This will be the beauty of democracy,” Goyal said in Wednesday’s letter.
Goyal said traders would withdraw their protest if Gandhi convinced them that the rally would benefit businesses and attract customers. However, if traders could establish that the event would cause financial losses, Gandhi should agree to postpone it until after Diwali.
The markets represented by the CTI include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Chawri Bazar, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, Daryaganj, Paharganj, Gaffar Market, Lajpat Rai Market and Jama Masjid-Meena Bazar.
According to the CTI, these markets are located within one to five kilometres of Ramlila Maidan and could face disruptions due to the rally.
The I.N.D.I.A. bloc has planned the rally to intensify pressure on the government over allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft) and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On October 12, Opposition leaders, including Gandhi, activists and civil society members participated in a ‘March for Democracy’ in Delhi and filed a joint petition against the SIR.
The following day, Gandhi hosted I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders at his residence, where the alliance resolved to continue its campaign against the alleged electoral irregularities.
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