Delhi traders urge Rahul Gandhi to postpone INDIA bloc's anti-SIR rally, fear ₹10,000 crore loss

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has written to the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, urging him to postpone the INDIA bloc's protest rally scheduled for November 1 at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.

In a letter to the Congress leader, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal has cited a potential business loss of ₹10,000 crore during the peak festive season if the protest takes place on the currently decided date. Goyal said that in total, Delhi sees business worth ₹25,000 during the festive period, and also claimed that traders had faced losses of up to ₹3,000 crore owing to the protests and subsequent preventive measures last month.

The INDIA bloc is planning a ‘Delhi Chalo March’ against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at the Ramlila Ground next month.

Goyal highlighted the Diwali shopping season and the presence of prominent wholesale and retail markets within a 5-km radius of Ramlila Maidan, including Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar. The CTI chairman also pointed to the traders' losses the previous month owing to the frequent rallies and marches.

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The letter reiterates concerns which were raised earlier this month by traders, who said repeated protests and heavy security deployment, especially in areas like Connaught Place, had led to businesses in the Capital facing a decrease in customer footfall. New Delhi Traders’ Association president Atul Bhargava had last week said, “Staging a protest is their (CJP’s) right, but having a livelihood is also our right. We don’t have any problems with a protest. Our market was open, but due to (Friday’s) protest, many people shut their shops and others who didn’t, reported low footfall.”

A plea in connection with these concerns was heard by the Supreme Court on October 16. During the hearing, the top court warned it would invoke its constitutional tort jurisdiction to award compensation if protests in Delhi disproportionately impede traders and daily-wage earners from pursuing their livelihoods. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi further hoped "better sense will prevail" and that the competing interests of protesters, traders and the authorities would be balanced.

₹3000 crore loss in October, historic markets near Ramlila Maidan

In its letter, the CTI said that it “fully respects” democratic values and the right to peaceful protest. However, it urged all political parties to refrain from organising protest rallies and demonstrations during the festive period in the “period leading up to and including Dhanteras (November 6), Diwali (November 8), and Bhai Dooj (November 10).”

CTI chairman Goyal told Gandhi in the letter that Delhi sees business worth ₹25,000 crore during the Dhanteras-Diwali period, adding that this forms the “backbone” of the Capital's economy.

“People begin their shopping for Dhanteras and Diwali a week in advance. On the occasion of Dhanteras alone, Delhi sees business worth approximately ₹25,000 crore across various sectors—including gold and silver, utensils, electronics, textiles, dry fruits, sweets, automobiles, vehicles, real estate, and gift items,” Goyal said.

He said that the traders had already incurred losses of up to ₹3,000 crore in October “due to frequent rallies, marches, and road closures in areas like Connaught Place, India Gate, and Central Delhi.” He added that this was because of the disruption in the arrival of goods from outside into wholesale markets, as well as the customers' inability to reach the markets.

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The CTI letter also noted that several historic wholesale and retail markets were located near the Ramlila Maidan. These include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Kashmiri Gate, Jama Masjid, Jhandewalan, and Karol Bagh. Goyal said that potential traffic diversions and metro closures owing to the rally could halt business operations in these markets.

The traders' body further flagged the proximity of Old Delhi and New Delhi railway stations to the protest site. “Every day, hundreds of thousands of traders and buyers travel through these stations. During the rally, the closure of routes and the resulting overcrowding could cause significant hardship for those travelling to or from outside Delhi,” Goyal said in the letter to Gandhi.