NEW DELHI — Fearing a severe hit to peak Diwali commerce, Delhi’s business community has escalated its campaign against the Congress party’s planned November 1 political rally at Ramlila Maidan.
After multiple unheeded entreaties to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has reached out directly to senior leaders of the INDIA bloc—including Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, and Uddhav Thackeray—begging them to intervene and force a rescheduling until after November 10–11.
At the core of the panic is the staggering financial volume tied to the festive period. According to trade representatives, around 20 major wholesale and retail markets across Central and Old Delhi process daily business worth ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 crore during this window.
The Anatomy of the Impasse
The controversy stems from the Congress party’s nationwide campaign targeting alleged electoral irregularities and demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
While Delhi Police has issued conditional permission for the event, traders emphasize that their objection is purely economic rather than political.
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Massive Expected Footfall: The rally aims to bring 10 lakh participants and 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles into the heart of the capital.
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Inadequate Infrastructure: CTI highlights that Ramlila Maidan cannot accommodate even 200 large buses, forcing thousands of incoming vehicles onto surrounding arterial routes.
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The Logistics Bottleneck: Crucial trade arteries—including Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, and access roads around Chandni Chowk and Ajmeri Gate—face total gridlock.
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Supply Chain Stoppage: Central Delhi markets handle an estimated 5,000 supply trucks daily from local industrial zones, alongside 3,000 national distribution vehicles. Transporters are already refusing shipments due to planned border barricading at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur, and Badarpur.
Key Demands & Market Vulnerabilities
With Dhanteras falling on November 6 and Diwali on November 8, traders mark November 1 as the indispensable apex for inventory stocking and customer dispatch.
| Key Aspect | Details & Impact |
| At-Risk Commercial Hubs | Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Chawri Bazar, Karol Bagh, and Daryaganj. |
| Proposed Solution 1 | Postpone the rally to a date after November 10–11 (post-Diwali period). |
| Proposed Solution 2 | Relocate the event to Burari Ground, which features built-in parking capacity for 15,000 vehicles. |
| Precedent Cited | An October 10 demonstration at Jantar Mantar of just 5,000–7,000 people tied up regional traffic for nearly eight hours. |
Political Stand-Off
Addressing the initial pushback from business leaders, Rahul Gandhi previously asserted that the demonstration could end in “30 seconds” if Prime Minister Narendra Modi acceded to the demand to remove the Chief Election Commissioner.
Refusing to back down, CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal made a final appeal to Opposition partners to step in and shield local commerce:
“We appealed to Rahul Gandhi three times, but he refused. Now our last hope is with you. These 20 markets are not just markets—they are the heartbeat of Delhi. If central Delhi witnesses lockdown-like traffic congestion on October 31 and November 1, how will traders receive and dispatch goods for Dhanteras?”
