Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP of Shutting Connaught Place Shops
Congress leader alleges traders suffered losses during INDIA bloc rally; business associations cite festive-season disruption and demand restrictions on political marches through market areas.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st Nov: Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of forcibly shutting shops in Delhi’s Connaught Place on Sunday, alleging that the move hurt local traders during the festive shopping season. His remarks came as INDIA bloc leaders marched from Connaught Place to Ramlila Maidan for a rally against alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls.
Speaking from an open-top vehicle on his way to the rally venue, Gandhi said he had appealed to people travelling to Delhi to shop at local markets and support traders. However, he claimed that they found shops closed in Connaught Place and blamed the BJP for the disruption.
The allegation followed a video message Gandhi posted on Saturday night, in which he urged rally participants to combine their political protest with shopping in Delhi’s markets. He maintained that the rally would not harm traders and accused the BJP of spreading rumours about its likely impact on business.
Traders Raise Concerns Over Festive Business
The rally had drawn objections from several traders’ organisations, which warned that the gathering could disrupt business during the crucial pre-Diwali period. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) had urged INDIA bloc leaders to postpone the event until after November 11.
CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the association had approached Gandhi several times but failed to secure a change in the rally date. According to the organisation, daily business worth ₹10,000–12,000 crore across around 20 wholesale and retail markets in Central and Old Delhi was at risk.
The association also expressed concern over the expected gathering and the movement of thousands of vehicles. Dhanteras falls on November 6 and Diwali on November 8, making November 1 an important day for traders preparing their stocks ahead of the festive rush.
New Delhi Traders Association president Atul Bhargava also criticised the disruption in Connaught Place, saying repeated rallies had created uncertainty among customers and affected traders’ livelihoods. He called for restrictions on rallies and marches passing through the market.
INDIA Bloc Demands CEC’s Resignation
The INDIA bloc march began near the Minto Road–Connaught Place junction and proceeded towards Ramlila Maidan. The alliance demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the SIR exercise.
Addressing the gathering, Gandhi alleged that votes had been stolen in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and accused the Election Commission of undermining the electoral process. He also claimed that Gyanesh Kumar would be removed from office and jailed. These were political allegations made by Gandhi.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also accused the governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh of benefiting from alleged vote theft. Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several other INDIA bloc leaders attended the rally.
BJP Holds Counter March
The BJP organised a counter ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ (Save Democracy, End Anarchy) march in Faridabad and other locations. Senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan accused the Congress and Rahul Gandhi of weakening public confidence in democratic institutions.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat defended the SIR exercise in Goa, describing it as a constitutional process. He cited figures indicating that around 13 crore entries had been removed from electoral rolls, including 2.8 crore names of deceased persons, while 1.9 crore new names had been added.
The contrasting claims over electoral rolls and the impact of political rallies on traders have added another point of contention between the ruling BJP and the INDIA bloc.
