INDIA Bloc Ramlila Maidan Rally Row: Ahead of Rahul Gandhi's proposed mega rally on November 1, the Delhi-based Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has approached senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, requesting her intervention to postpone the event. The traders' body has written to Sonia Gandhi after sending 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. It has cited the possibility of severe traffic congestion and urged the Congress leadership to either postpone the rally until after Diwali or shift it to Burari Ground.
The development comes after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, called for a massive protest against alleged vote theft and irregularities in the electoral process. He has appealed to citizens across the country to participate in the Congress mega rally scheduled for Sunday, November 1. More than one million people are expected to attend the event.
However, the proposed rally has triggered concerns among Delhi's trading community, which fears significant business losses if the event takes place during the crucial festive season. Traders' associations have repeatedly urged Rahul Gandhi to either postpone the rally or change its venue. While Rahul Gandhi has maintained that citizens must come forward to protect the country's democracy, traders say their economic concerns also need to be considered.
With their requests reportedly going unanswered despite three letters to the Rae Bareli MP, the traders have now turned to his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, seeking her intervention.
In their latest communication, the traders highlighted the lack of parking facilities around Ramlila Maidan, claiming that the area cannot accommodate 15,000-20,000 vehicles. They warned that the gathering could cause massive traffic congestion, potentially bringing commercial activities across Central Delhi and Old Delhi to a standstill. The traders have described Sonia Gandhi as their last hope after their repeated appeals to Rahul Gandhi.
What Did CTI Tell Sonia Gandhi in Its Letter?
In a letter dated October 30, CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal wrote, "Representing 2 million traders in Delhi, we request that the rally be postponed until after Diwali, preferably to November 10-11 or later.
We are not opposing the rally. With folded hands, we are simply requesting you to allow us to protect our livelihoods during the peak Diwali season."
The traders pointed out that Dhanteras falls on November 6 and Diwali on November 8, making November 1 a particularly important day for businesses preparing for the festive rush.
"If 1 million people and 15,000-20,000 vehicles enter Central Delhi on November 1, business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore conducted daily across 20 historic markets will come to a standstill."
The CTI has outlined four major concerns regarding the proposed rally, highlighting its potential impact on traffic movement, transportation and commercial activities.
Four Major Concerns Raised by Delhi Traders
1. Lack of Parking Facilities at Ramlila Maidan: Where Will 15,000-20,000 Vehicles Be Parked?
The first major concern raised by CTI is the lack of adequate parking facilities at and around Ramlila Maidan.
The traders' body said, "Ramlila Maidan does not even have parking space for 200 large buses.
To transport 1 million people, approximately 15,000-20,000 buses, cars and tempos would be required.
Even if all these vehicles are parked along JLN Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Chandni Chowk Road and around the surrounding major markets, the available space would still be insufficient. This could lead to massive traffic congestion and create lockdown-like conditions across Central Delhi and Old Delhi."
2. Twenty Historic Markets Within a 5-km Radius, Generating Daily Business Worth Rs 10,000-12,000 Crore
CTI also highlighted the economic importance of the commercial areas surrounding Ramlila Maidan. According to the traders' body, 20 historic wholesale and retail markets are located within a 5-km radius of the venue, with some dating back nearly 300 years. These markets supply goods to businesses across the country.
The markets include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar, Janpath, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmere Gate, Naya Bazaar, Lajpat Rai Market, Chawri Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar, Dariba Kalan, Ballimaran, Fatehpuri, Tilak Bazaar, Karol Bagh, Jama Masjid, Nabi Karim, Gaffar Market, Ajmeri Gate-Paharganj and Daryaganj.
Explaining the scale of daily transportation and trade, CTI said, "Every day, approximately 5,000 trucks and tempos transport goods to these markets from 56 industrial areas, including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri, Mundka, Udyog Nagar and Mangolpuri.
In addition, around 3,000 trucks transport goods daily from these markets to 25 cities across the NCR, including Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat, as well as to states across the country."
3. Traffic and Business Disruptions Could Begin on October 31
Another concern raised by the traders is that the disruption may begin a day before the scheduled rally.
According to CTI, buses and other vehicles could start arriving at Delhi's borders, including Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur, from the afternoon of October 31. Barricading along Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and JLN Marg could also begin by the evening.
The traders further claimed that transporters had already started refusing to send vehicles to Delhi from October 31. This could affect the movement of goods and commercial activities even before the rally takes place on November 1.
4. October 10 Traffic Gridlock Cited as a Warning
CTI also referred to the October 10 incident to underline the potential scale of disruption.
According to the traders' body, when just 5,000-7,000 people gathered at Jantar Mantar on that day, Central Delhi remained gridlocked for nearly eight hours.
With the proposed November 1 rally expected to attract one million people, traders fear that the resulting traffic congestion could be significantly worse, disrupting transportation and business activities across Central Delhi.
What Are CTI's Two Demands to Sonia Gandhi?
In its letter, the Chamber of Trade and Industry put forward two specific demands:
- CTI has requested that the rally be rescheduled until after Diwali, preferably to November 10-11 or later, to ensure that business activities during the crucial Dhanteras and Diwali shopping season are not affected.
- If the rally cannot be postponed, CTI has suggested moving it from Ramlila Maidan to Burari Ground, which, according to the traders' body, has parking space for 15,000 vehicles.
CTI's Earlier Appeals to Rahul Gandhi
The latest letter to Sonia Gandhi follows repeated appeals by CTI to Rahul Gandhi. On October 28, the traders' body urged the Congress leader to postpone his proposed November 1 mega rally at Ramlila Maidan. It was CTI's second letter to Gandhi within four days.
The traders reiterated that the large gathering could cause substantial losses to local businesses ahead of Diwali. In the letter, CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal also sought a 20-minute meeting with Rahul Gandhi to discuss the concerns of Delhi's trading community.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi had earlier alleged that the demonstration could end in just 30 seconds if Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar were removed from his post.
The opposition has been protesting against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.