New Delhi, Oct 29 Traders’ associations in Delhi have written to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, seeking their intervention to postpone the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at the Ramlila Maidan until after Diwali, citing concerns over business and traffic disruptions.
The Federation of Sadar Bazar Trades Association and the Kirana Committee Delhi said the rally could affect business at several wholesale markets during the festive season, when traders expect a surge in sales.
They urged the two leaders, whose parties are part of the INDIA bloc, to take up the matter with the Congress leadership.
In their letters to Yadav and Banerjee, the associations said trade worth around Rs 25,000 crore takes place in Delhi between Dhanteras and Diwali, and that protests, rallies and traffic restrictions in September and October had already caused losses to the tune of around Rs 3,000 crore.
The associations warned that another large gathering during the peak shopping season could lead to additional losses of up to Rs 10,000 crore.
They also said the impact could extend beyond traders to workers, delivery persons and others whose livelihoods depend on business activities.
The traders also flagged possible traffic curbs, road closures and crowding, which could affect customer movement and the supply of goods.
The associations pointed out that around 20 major wholesale and retail markets, including Sadar Bazaar, Khari Baoli and Chandni Chowk, fall within a 5-km radius of the Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi.
Appealing to the INDIA bloc leadership to postpone the rally until after Diwali (November 8), the traders said political programmes can be rescheduled, but businesses cannot afford to lose sales during the year’s most important trading period.
The INDIA bloc is scheduled to hold a “public impeachment” proceeding against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Friday at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
After the public impeachment, a ‘Dilli Chalo March’ against “vote chori” will be held, culminating in a rally at the Ramlila Maidan on November 1.
(PTI News)
