Traders' chamber asks Rahul Gandhi to delay Delhi rally over holiday sales impact

In a letter to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, the Chamber of Trade and Industry warned that the INDIA bloc’s rally scheduled for November 1 at Ramlila Maidan could interfere with Delhi’s lucrative Diwali shopping period. CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal noted that businesses anticipate a surge in sales across sectors such as gold, electronics and textiles, amounting to roughly Rs 25,000 crore, and that recent rallies have already cost traders about Rs 3,000 crore in October.

He pointed to the dense cluster of wholesale and retail markets—including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar and Khari Baoli—within a five-kilometre radius that could face severe disruption from road closures and metro shutdowns. While acknowledging the right to peaceful protest, the chamber asked political parties to avoid large gatherings in key commercial zones until after the festival season. The appeal comes as the rally aims to press the government over alleged electoral roll irregularities.