Trader organisations in Delhi have urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to postpone, relocate or hold the party’s proposed 1 November rally after Diwali, saying disruptions in major commercial areas could affect customer movement, goods transport and the earnings of small businesses.
The trader groups have also launched an online petition seeking support for their demand. The Confederation of All India Traders has called a virtual meeting of representatives from markets across Delhi to discuss the issue and decide on further action.
The campaign comes about a week before Diwali, a major trading period for the capital’s retail, wholesale and service businesses. Trader representatives said they feared the rally could cause losses of around ₹10,000 crore to Diwali-related business. The report attributes this estimate to the concerns expressed by the trade bodies; it does not cite an independent assessment of the potential loss.
The proposed rally is expected to draw more than one lakh people, according to the trader groups cited in the report. They said large demonstrations in busy market districts can affect the movement of customers, loading and unloading of goods, public transport, logistics operations and daily trading activity.
The groups said the impact would extend beyond established shop owners. Small traders, street vendors, daily-wage workers and service providers could be particularly vulnerable because their household incomes depend on daily business and footfall. Delhi’s commercial network includes wholesale and retail markets, transport operators, logistics providers and related services, meaning a disruption in one area can affect the movement of goods beyond the city, the organisations said.
Representatives of the Confederation of All India Traders, Delhi’s trader associations, the Chandni Chowk Traders Council, the New Delhi Traders Association, the Khan Market Traders Association and the Kirana Committee issued a joint statement on the issue. They said they were not opposed to peaceful protests, but argued that demonstrations should not affect the livelihoods of others.
The trade bodies framed the dispute as a balance between the constitutional importance of peaceful protest and the ability of people to conduct business and earn a living. They asked the government to identify permanent protest sites on Delhi’s outskirts with adequate transport, security and other facilities, rather than allowing major demonstrations to disrupt dense commercial areas.
Rakesh Yadav, president of the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, appealed to Rahul Gandhi to consider the traders’ concerns and examine postponing the rally, holding it after Diwali or shifting it to an alternative venue. The report does not provide a response from the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi or the Delhi administration to the traders’ request.
The Confederation of All India Traders is scheduled to hold its virtual meeting on Monday, where trader representatives are expected to discuss the proposed rally and their further strategy.
