Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has rejected a request from Delhi's business community to postpone the Opposition INDIA bloc's November 1 protest at Ramlila Maidan. He has instead said the demonstration could be stopped within 30 seconds if Prime Minister Narendra Modi removes Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post.
The protest is part of the Opposition's ongoing campaign over alleged vote theft and its objections to the Election Commission's handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Opposition has accused the poll body of taking decisions without adequate consultation, including decisions that it claims were opposed by the other two election commissioners. These allegations have been raised by the Opposition, while the Election Commission's handling of the process remains at the centre of the political dispute.
In a post on X on Monday, Gandhi addressed Delhi's traders directly, acknowledging their concerns about the possible impact of the rally on business during the festive shopping season. He argued that the controversy over electoral rolls affects not only the democratic process but also the security of traders' businesses, savings and their children's future.
Gandhi also criticised the restrictions imposed on roads and metro services during earlier demonstrations in the capital. He maintained that the protest would continue unless action was taken against the chief election commissioner.
The business community, however, has urged the Opposition to reconsider the timing of the rally. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), led by chairman Brijesh Goyal, recently wrote to Gandhi requesting that the demonstration be postponed until after November 10.
In its letter, the organisation warned that a large political gathering near Ramlila Maidan could disrupt commercial activity worth approximately Rs 10,000 crore across Delhi. The area is close to several major wholesale and retail markets in Old Delhi, which typically experience heavy customer traffic before major festivals.
The traders' concerns are particularly significant this year because Dhanteras falls on November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhai Dooj on November 10. According to the CTI, Delhi's markets generate around Rs 25,000 crore in business during the Dhanteras period alone, including sales of gold, silver, electronics and automobiles.
The November 1 demonstration follows earlier Opposition protests against the SIR exercise. On October 12, Opposition leaders and activists marched through barricaded roads before submitting a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the revision process. The following day, Gandhi met INDIA bloc leaders at his Delhi residence, after which the alliance announced that its campaign against alleged vote theft would continue.
With the rally date unchanged so far, the dispute has highlighted the growing tension between the Opposition's political campaign and traders' concerns about the impact on business during the festive season.
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