Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked Delhi traders to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying protests over alleged vote theft would stop within 30 seconds if the demand was met.
Responding to concerns raised by the trading community over the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the government had shut metro services, sealed roads and imposed a lockdown-like situation in the national capital.
“To every trader in Delhi: We love you and hear you. The Government shut the metro, sealed our roads and locked down our capital,” Gandhi said in a post on X.
“With a stolen vote nothing is safe - your shop, your savings, your children's future,” he said, adding, “Tell Modi to sack accused no. 4, Gyanesh Kumar and the protests will stop in 30 seconds.”
The remarks came after the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) urged Gandhi to postpone the rally until after November 10, warning that it could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000 crore during the festive shopping season.
In a letter to Gandhi, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the rally could affect wholesale and retail markets around Ramlila Maidan ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali, when traders expect a surge in customer footfall.
Goyal said Delhi records business worth around Rs 25,000 crore across sectors such as gold and silver, electronics, clothing, utensils, dry fruits, sweets, automobiles, property and gifts around Dhanteras, which falls on November 6 this year. Diwali will be celebrated on November 8, followed by Bhai Dooj on November 10.
The traders’ body said market activity typically picks up about a week before the festivals and asked Gandhi to reschedule the rally to avoid disrupting business during one of the busiest periods of the year.
The INDIA bloc rally is intended to intensify the Opposition’s campaign against alleged “vote chori” and press for Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On October 12, Opposition leaders, activists and civil society members took part in a ‘March for Democracy’ in Delhi, protesting against the SIR and filing a joint petition in connection with the exercise.
A day later, Gandhi hosted INDIA bloc leaders at his residence. Following the meeting, the Opposition bloc vowed to continue its campaign against alleged vote theft and take the fight to its “logical conclusion”.
(With inputs from PTI)
