Delhi Traders Warn Of Rs 12,000-Crore Loss As Rahul Gandhi Leads Mega Rally
The traders' body said the rally could also disrupt transportation and movement of goods across a 10-kilometre radius, affecting markets in Central Delhi and Old Delhi during the crucial pre-Diwali shopping season.
Rahul Gandhi spearheaded a massive protest in New Delhi on Sunday, calling for the removal of India's Chief Election Commissioner over allegations that the recent voter-list revision has stripped millions of eligible voters from the rolls. The demonstration, which gathered opposition party leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, and Tejashwi Yadav, coincided with a rival rally by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that highlighted the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls led to the deletion of over 130 million names from voter lists since last year. Opposition parties accuse the Election Commission of manipulating the process to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and demand the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation. The Election Commission and BJP both deny the accusations, stating that the revision is essential to eliminate duplicate, deceased, and ineligible voters.
Delhi traders fear financial losses as Rahul Gandhi refuses to postpone the rally, with an estimated Rs100 billion in potential revenue at stake. The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party movement also supported the protest, while Human Rights Watch criticized the voter-list revision, warning that marginalized communities might lose their voting rights.
The BJP dismissed the opposition protest as political theater, and Union Minister JP Nadda accused opposition leaders of attempting to incite unrest. Meanwhile, BJP supporters organized a counter-march commemorating victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Delhi traders voiced concerns about potential business disruptions, with the Chamber of Trade and Industry warning that up to 250,000 shops might close and around Rs10,000 crore to Rs12,000 crore in business could be affected due to road closures and reduced customer movement.
Nearly 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel were deployed to maintain order across central Delhi, with extensive security measures and surveillance in place.
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