Congress to hold November 1 Delhi rally despite traders’ concerns over business losses

New Delhi: Despite concerns raised by a group of traders over business losses due to protest rallies, Congress on Monday maintained that it would hold a 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, stepping up its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday appealed to people to participate in the rally. In a message to traders, Gandhi said, "To every trader in Delhi: We love you and hear you." Blaming the government for restrictions that disrupted business activity in Delhi, Gandhi said, "The govt shut the metro, sealed our roads and locked down our capital." He linked the concerns of traders to the Congress campaign against alleged electoral manipulation. "With a stolen vote nothing is safe - your shop, your savings, your children's future," he said. Gandhi also demanded the removal of CEC. "Tell Modi to sack accused no. 4, Gyanesh Kumar and the protests will stop in 30 seconds," he said.

Kharge, meanwhile, sought to link the party's campaign against alleged vote theft with the economic difficulties faced by ordinary citizens. "Friends, this is the festive season, but you are struggling with crippling inflation. The government, however, is not concerned about this because it only knows how to steal votes. Vote theft has taken place on a massive scale and continues even now," Kharge said.


On October 24, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), headed by Brijesh Goyal, wrote to Gandhi seeking the postponement of the rally until after November 10.