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INDIA Bloc protest: Stir keeps shoppers away, Connaught Place bears the brunt before Diwali
Traders in CP said the rally had affected business as parking was occupied by participants amid apprehensions of restrictions and congestion.
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The Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed each other on Sunday as traders in Connaught Place reported poor sales on the last Sunday before Diwali in light of the INDIA bloc protest.
Speaking to reporters, hours ahead of the protest, Union minister and senior BJP leader JP Nadda accused the Opposition of disrupting business ahead of the festive season. “It is the festive season. Throughout the year, small traders, street vendors, shopkeepers wait for it for some earnings during these festivals. But Rahul Gandhi does not care about stoves burning in traders’ homes. He only wants to ignite the fire of his politics,” he said.
Hours later, leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of pressuring shopkeepers to shut their stores, despite rally participants having been urged to support local traders.
“We told everyone that when you come here for the march and the mega rally, buy things, do some shopping. But, while coming to CP here, we found out that the BJP has forcibly shut down every single shop. So, you should know who is causing the loss to the traders, and how it’s happening,” the Congress leader alleged, speaking to the media.
In a post on X, Union home minister Amit Shah said, “Delhi’s traders pleaded that the rally be held after Diwali, otherwise there would be heavy losses in business, but Rahul Baba just had to hold the rally on the very day the Sikh massacre took place. More than ₹25,000 crore trade occurred in these three days as whole North India comes to the wholesale market of Delhi to purchase goods... I want to tell Congress that you have caused losses to small traders and now your electoral account will not open for the next three elections.”
Traders speak of business loss
Traders in CP said the rally had affected business as parking was occupied by participants and customers opted to stay away amid apprehensions of restrictions and congestion.
“Once again, CP is bearing the brunt of these rallies, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear among customers,” said Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders Association.
Bhargava said repeated disruptions were worsening an already difficult situation for traders during the festive season and arguing that rallies and processions through commercial areas are affecting traders’ right to livelihood.
Restaurants, however, remained open through the day. “Of course, the business is impacted as people avoid coming but what should we do, we have been seeing this for a month now,” said a branch manager of a south Indian restaurant in CP.
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Last week, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) wrote to Rahul Gandhi, urging him to postpone the rally post-Diwali to avoid affecting festive-season business.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) also launched an online petition last week against protests in central Delhi as they were disrupting commercial activity and livelihoods.
CAIT general secretary, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, on Sunday said Gandhi’s appeal to protesters to purchase from Delhi’s markets was not serious. “Delhi’s markets need customers not the crowd of a rally,” he said.
Other hubs
In contrast, Sarojini Nagar traders reported better-than-expected business despite initial apprehensions about the rally.
“Over 100,000 people visited Sarojini Nagar market on Sunday. The business was better-than-expected, with a significant number of shoppers coming not just from Delhi-NCR but also from other regions,” said Ashok Randhawa, president of the Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association.
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