Rahul Gandhi's 'Protest, Then Shop' Appeal Hits 'Closed' Wall At Connaught Place On Delhi Rally Day
Xtreme News India
01-11-2026 20:36:00
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Rahul Gandhi's 'Protest, Then Shop' Appeal Hits 'Closed' Wall At Connaught Place On Delhi Rally Day
New Delhi (Special correspondent) - The INDIA bloc marched from the Connaught Place Outer Circle road to Ramlila Maidan for its rally over alleged electoral fraud, seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls.
Before he reached Delhi's Ramlila Maidan for the INDIA bloc's rally, Rahul Gandhi sought to renew his "shop a little" appeal to the people, but claimed the BJP had "forcibly shut down every shop" in Delhi's Connaught Place. This was a day after Gandhi asked the "lakhs of people" expected in Delhi for the rally to also shop at the city's markets, in a cheeky counter to the BJP's and some trader organisations' contentions that the event would disrupt business during the ongoing festive season.
"We told everyone that when you come here for the march and the mega rally, buy things, do some shopping. But, while coming to Connaught Place, we found out that the BJP has forcibly shut down every single shop," the Leader of Opposition said in a video from the open-top safari vehicle in which he and some other leaders headed to the venue a kilometre and a half away. "So, you should know who is causing the loss to the traders, and how it's happening!" he said.
Parts of the market were closed for some hours on Sunday morning -- the rally call was for noon -- while the parking areas had vehicles that brought in rally participants. Footfall was scarce in open shops. The central area of the national capital has seen a series of anti-CEC protests since the start of October, and saw some disruption back in June and July too when the youth group Cockroach Janta Party held a protest over paper leaks. About the Sunday rally, Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders Association, said to NDTV, "Once again, Connaught Place is bearing the brunt of these rallies, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear among customers who are reluctant to visit the market." He added, "We need a court order that no rally, protest or march can originate, culminate and pass through CP, as this is affecting our right to a livelihood."
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party over the losses caused to traders and the issue of the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre. Rahul Gandhi’s rally during the festive season has adversely affected the businesses of Delhi’s small shopkeepers, street vendors and traders. Following losses of ₹3,000 crore during previous Congress protests, today’s rally is expected to cause losses exceeding ₹10,000 crore, as BJP in PRESS Release.
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