‘Will disrupt business during Diwali’: Delhi traders' body writes to Rahul Gandhi over November 1 Ramlila Maidan march
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), an industry body, has written to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi seeking a meeting with him ahead of the opposition’s upcoming rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal, who sought a 20-minute meeting between Gandhi and representatives from 20 markets across the national capital, argued that the proposed rally, expected to draw 10 lakh people, could disrupt business and threaten thousands of crores in commercial turnover for major trading hubs ahead of Dhanteras, Diwali, and Bhai Dooj festive season.
"We don't want a fight; we want dialogue. Rahul ji himself says that he listens to everyone, listens to the voice of small traders. So, we traders from 20 markets are asking him for 20 minutes. This will be the beauty of democracy," Goyal said in his letter.
Earlier this week too, the CTI had written to Gandhi, demanding that the proposed rally or shifted to an alternative venue away from commercial areas.
The traders would withdraw their protest if Gandhi convinced them that the rally would boost business and attract more customers. However, if they convince him that it would cause losses, then he should postpone the rally until after Diwali, the CTI chief said.
The markets identified by CTI include Chandni Chowk, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Sadar Bazar, Chawri Bazar, Kashmere Gate, Nabi Karim, Karol Bagh, Ajmeri Gate and Daryaganj, among others.
The other markets are Nai Sarak, Kinari Bazar, Dariba Kalan, Fatehpuri, Naya Bazar, Filmistan, Paharganj, Gaffar Market, Jama Masjid-Meena Bazar and Lajpat Rai Market.
According to the CTI, the markets are located within a 1- to 5-km radius of Ramlila Maidan and could face business disruptions due to the rally.
CTI pointed out that a gathering of 10 lakh people could bring 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles into Delhi, including 10,000 to 12,000 buses and 5,000 to 7,000 smaller vehicles such as cars, minibuses and tempo travellers.
The traders' body questioned where these vehicles would be parked, claiming that there was no authorised parking facility for even 200 vehicles in the immediate vicinity of Ramlila Maidan.
It projected that the November 1 rally could bring commercial activity across Old Delhi to a standstill, resulting in losses of up to ₹10,000 crore, CTI said in its first letter.
Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.
Get Latest real-time updates
Catch all the Business News , Economy news , Breaking News Events andLatest News Updates on Live Mint. Download TheMint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More
✕
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.