NEW DELHI: In a political face-off where both sides claim to be defending democracy, Delhi’s traders are caught worrying about their Diwali business.As the Congress prepares to bring its ‘vote chori’ campaign to Ramlila Maidan on November 1, the BJP has taken the battle to the streets of Old Delhi, leading a ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ padyatra in Chandni Chowk and sharpening its attack on Rahul Gandhi.Led by BJP president Nitin Nabin and CM Rekha Gupta, the march comes amid mounting opposition from traders who fear that barricading, traffic diversions and possible metro restrictions during the festive shopping season could disrupt business across the capital’s major wholesale markets.The political temperature has risen further after Rahul Gandhi challenged traders to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.The result is a three-way confrontation: the BJP accuses Congress of creating disorder, the opposition alleges electoral irregularities and demands accountability from the poll chief, while traders insist that their livelihoods should not become collateral damage in the political showdown.
‘Democracy is in safe hands’: BJP turns fire on Rahul Gandhi
At the Chandni Chowk padyatra, BJP president Nitin Nabin defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and questioned Rahul Gandhi’s commitment to the Constitution.“Democracy is in safe hands,” Nabin said, asserting that people had faith in Modi and that the Prime Minister enjoyed the mandate of the country’s 140 crore people.Targeting the Congress leader’s frequent references to the Constitution, Nabin alleged that Gandhi carried a copy of the document without genuinely caring about it.He also predicted that the Congress would be politically wiped out if its leaders continued to follow Gandhi’s leadership.Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta joined the attack, ridiculing the Congress’s ‘vote chori’ slogan and describing its political campaigns as repeated attempts to launch a leader whose initiatives, she claimed, failed to gain traction.Rekha Gupta said people knew where they had voted and who had won, adding that the public continued to repose faith in the Central Government and Modi.
‘Holding Delhi hostage’
A day earlier, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra accused the Congress of repeatedly disrupting normal life in the capital through protests, including demonstrations near Parliament and the Supreme Court.Malhotra said the party was organising the padyatra against what it described as the “anarchist behaviour” of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.As per news agency ANI, the BJP’s campaign comes as the Congress prepares for an impeachment-style public proceeding against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 30, followed by a ‘Dilli Chalo’ march and a public gathering at Ramlila Maidan on November 1.The proposed gathering is intended to intensify pressure on the government over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the opposition’s demand for the CEC’s resignation.The BJP, however, has made the likely disruption to Delhi’s festive-season commerce a central part of its political counterattack.
Rahul Gandhi’s ’30-second’ challenge
Rahul Gandhi has pushed back against the criticism, arguing that the restrictions affecting Delhi’s markets are the result of government-imposed security arrangements rather than the opposition’s protests.In a post on X, Gandhi said the government had shut metro services, sealed roads and effectively locked down parts of the capital. He linked these restrictions to the opposition’s allegation of electoral malpractice and called on traders to demand the removal of Gyanesh Kumar.“Tell Modi to sack accused no. 4, Gyanesh Kumar and the protests will stop in 30 seconds,” Gandhi wrote.The remark has added another layer to the dispute.While traders are asking Congress to postpone its rally until after Diwali, Gandhi has sought to redirect their anger towards the government, arguing that action against the CEC would bring the protests to an end.
Business community sounds alarm
The political exchange comes against the backdrop of an increasingly vocal protest by Delhi’s trading community.On Monday, traders staged a demonstration at Kashmere Gate, urging the Congress to defer its November 1 rally until after Diwali. They also wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, asking the party to reschedule the gathering.The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) said the anticipated crowd, security arrangements, traffic diversions and possible restrictions on public transport could hit business across major wholesale markets.The traders raised the slogan: “20,000 traders have one appeal: hold the rally after Diwali.”CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the Congress had indicated that around 10 lakh people could attend the rally, while the actual capacity of Ramlila Maidan was approximately 50,000, according to his claim reported by PTI.Goyal warned that the scale of the expected gathering could affect more than 20 major wholesale hubs within a five-kilometre radius of the venue.These include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Khari Baoli, Naya Bazar, Chawri Bazar, Daryaganj and Kashmere Gate.He also claimed that traffic restrictions could prevent three to four lakh buyers from outside Delhi, who visit the capital daily, from reaching the markets.The CTI said it would write to leaders of all parties in the INDIA bloc, urging them to consider the concerns of traders and postpone the rally.
Traders fear a festive-season hit worth crores
For Delhi’s wholesale traders, the timing is particularly sensitive. The period leading up to Dhanteras, Diwali and Bhai Dooj is a crucial phase for sales, with buyers travelling from Delhi and other states to purchase goods in bulk.Paramjeet Singh Pamma, president of the Sadar Bazar Bari Market Trade Association, also appealed to the Congress leadership to postpone the event, warning that traffic restrictions and difficulties accessing wholesale markets could lead to losses worth crores of rupees.The traders’ concerns are not limited to the November 1 gathering. Goyal told PTI that a gathering of around 2,000 to 4,000 people at Jantar Mantar on October 10 had, according to his account, resulted in metro station closures, barricading and restrictions that forced more than 20 major markets to shut.That claim has become part of the traders’ argument for rescheduling the rally.Their demand is not necessarily a rejection of the opposition’s right to protest. Rather, they want the demonstration moved to a date when the economic consequences for businesses are likely to be lower.
Congress leader counters traders’ objections
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit questioned the argument that the rally would cause widespread damage to Delhi’s trade.Dikshit said the event was confined to a specific area and argued that a large gathering could also generate business for street vendors, food sellers and small shopkeepers.He asked why the interests of roadside vendors and other informal traders should be ignored when assessing the economic impact of a political rally.
‘Stop sycophancy’: Congress leader’s remarks add fuel
The dispute has also triggered a sharp exchange over the business community’s relationship with the government.As per an ANI report, Congress leader Hussain Dalwai urged traders not to support the government unconditionally and instead pressure it over alleged electoral irregularities.“The business community should stop sycophancy towards the government and instead exert pressure on the government. The way the government is functioning, it is the right of the people to protest now. And why do people protest? Do they protest just like that? Do they do it to cause trouble to the business community? Everyone has the right to vote in the elections, but this very right has been snatched away to prove a point. The rights of 13 crore people have been stripped away, and the business community should speak up about this. If you want to exert pressure, bring it upon the government. You are the ones who brought this government to power; now pull it down,” he said.(With agency inputs)
