HighLights
  1. Traders urge INDIA bloc to postpone November 1 rally.
  2. Rally threatens Delhi's festive season business, huge losses.
  3. Appeals sent to Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee after Congress.

INDIA Bloc Rally: Traders' associations in Delhi continued their efforts to convince INDIA bloc leaders to postpone the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at the Ramlila Maidan until after Diwali, citing concerns over business and traffic disruptions. After their letters to Congress leaders - Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi- did not get a positive response, they have now written to their INDIA bloc allies - Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee- seeking their intervention to postpone the November 1 rally.

The Federation of Sadar Bazar Trades Association and the Kirana Committee Delhi said the rally could affect business at several wholesale markets during the festive season, when traders expect a surge in sales. They urged the two leaders to take up the matter with the Congress leadership.

In their letters to Yadav and Banerjee, the associations said trade worth around Rs 25,000 crore takes place in Delhi between Dhanteras and Diwali, and that protests, rallies and traffic restrictions in September and October had already caused losses to the tune of around Rs 3,000 crore.

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The associations warned that another large gathering during the peak shopping season could lead to additional losses of up to Rs 10,000 crore. They also said the impact could extend beyond traders to workers, delivery persons and others whose livelihoods depend on business activities.

Three Letters Sent To Rahul Gandhi

Earlier on Friday, the Delhi-based Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) approached senior Sonia Gandhi, requesting her intervention in the matter. The development came after they sent three letters to Rahul Gandhi, warning that the rally could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore across 20 major markets in Delhi.

The traders also flagged possible traffic curbs, road closures and crowding, which could affect customer movement and the supply of goods. The associations pointed out that around 20 major wholesale and retail markets, including Sadar Bazaar, Khari Baoli and Chandni Chowk, fall within a 5-km radius of the Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi.

Appealing to the INDIA bloc leadership to postpone the rally until after Diwali (November 8), the traders said political programmes can be rescheduled, but businesses cannot afford to lose sales during the year's most important trading period. The INDIA bloc is scheduled to hold a mega rally at the Ramlila Maidan against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday.
(With PTI inputs)


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