‘Daya Karo, Soniaji!’ Delhi Chamber Makes an Emotional Appeal

The apex trade body, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), had failed to convince the AICC president, Mallikarjun Kharge, and the LoP Rahul Gandhi has now sought the intervention of the chairman of Congress parliamentary party Sonia Gandhi. The CTI urged her to advise the party to postpone the proposed rally to November 10 or shift the venue to Burari Ground.

The CTI said that the November 1 rally would lead to disruption of business in 20 major markets. They said while it was the fundamental right of the party to hold protests or rally, as was being claimed by some spokespersons of Congress and other leaders, they should understand that it was also the fundamental right of traders to do business without disruption. The CTI said the overall loss due to the rally would be around Rs 12,000 crore.

They said it is estimated that the Congress party would be mobilising its cadre and the cadre of other opposition parties, which would mean that about 15,000 buses, including other vehicles, would enter Delhi. The trade body said that there is no parking space available near Ramlila maidan and this could lead to chaos on roads. Police

CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said, “The traders were not opposing the rally but humbly request you to save our livelihood during peak Diwali season.” He said the traders were concerned over the timing of the rally. Dhanteras falls on November 6, followed by Diwali on November 8. Hence, every day matters for the traders from November 1 to 10.

Goyal said, 15,000 vehicles are no small number, and they would result in blocking of all major roads like Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ajmeri Gate and Chandni Chowk Road, as well as surrounding areas.

He further said the rally would adversely affect business of about 20 markets within five kms of Ramlila Maidan. These markets include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar, Janpath, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmere Gate, Naya Bazaar, Lajpat Rai Market, Chawri Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar, Dariba Kalan, Ballimaran, Fatehpuri, Tilak Bazaar, Karol Bagh, Jama Masjid, Nabi Karim, Gaffar Market, Ajmeri Gate-Paharganj and Daryaganj.

During the festival period, these markets get business of Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per day, and all that would suffer as the markets will have to come to a standstill.

Goyal said they had no axe to grind with any political party, including Congress, but all that they want is that Congress should be sympathetic towards their concern and postpone the date of the rally.

The traders said that transporters are reluctant to come to Delhi with goods as they apprehend that traffic restrictions would be in force from October 31 when buses and other vehicles carrying the rallyists would start reaching Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur.

Goyal said that they have been urging to change the date or venue of the meeting for the past week as “These 20 markets are not just markets; they are the heartbeat of Delhi. Business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore takes place here every day, and Dhanteras is on November 6. Traders are worried that if central Delhi faces a lockdown-like traffic jam on October 31 and November 1, how will their festive goods reach the markets and be transported from there?” he said.

The CTI said they had seen how the rally on October 10 had affected the traders when the crowd was just 5000 to 7000 people. It is now estimated that the crowd at the rally would be around 10 lakhs. If the Congress does too sympathetically consider their request, one can imagine the serious impact it would have on the trade and traders. However, the Delhi police said that they do not expect more than 50,000 people. Around 3500 police personnel were being deployed for crowd and traffic management.

The rally timings, he said, were another major cause of concern. It is scheduled to be held from 10 am to 5 pm on November 1. That is the peak business time, Goyal said.

Delhi Police, however, said a gathering of around 50,000 people is expected and around 3,500 personnel would be deployed for security and crowd management.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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