New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has issued a renewed call for a Chalo Dilli protest scheduled for November 1, urging citizens and opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc to join a march starting from the Connaught Place Minto Junction via Ajmeri Gate to Ramlila Maidan at noon. The planned demonstration and rally are set to precede a public address to party workers and supporters, with Gandhi sharing the roadmap of the route to build momentum against the central government.
The announcement has drawn strong objections from the business community in the national capital. The Chamber of Trade and Industry, which represents traders in Delhi, formally appealed to the leadership of the INDIA bloc to postpone the proposed opposition rally to a date after Diwali, such as November 10 or 11, to avoid severe economic setbacks during the festive shopping season.
Traders pointed out that central Delhi markets experience exceptionally high footfall in the days leading up to Dhanteras and Diwali. According to the merchants' association, a major demonstration drawing an estimated one million participants and thousands of vehicles would cause massive traffic congestion across central Delhi and stall commercial transactions valued between ten and twelve thousand crore rupees across twenty historic markets, including Chandni Chowk.