Traders and sweet shop owners in New Delhi on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, appealed to the Indian National Congress (Congress) and other INDIA bloc leaders to postpone their November 1 rally to after Diwali, warning that the event could severely disrupt commercial activity during the most critical sales period of the year. The plea comes as Delhi's business community reports mounting financial strain from what traders describe as the fifth major political rally in four months.

Traders Describe Growing Financial Strain

Mukesh Gupta, President of the Bengali Market Traders Association, said the cumulative disruption from repeated political demonstrations had left many shopkeepers unable to meet basic household expenses. He said footfall had dropped sharply on rally days, with shops frequently forced to shut and business owners living under the fear of vandalism.

'Rallies are not being held for the first time on November 1. This is the fifth rally in the last four months. This has completely ruined the businesses of shopkeepers and traders. Business owners are unable to support even their wives and children. There is hardly any purchasing, shopping or business activity. Shops often have to be closed, and there is also a fear of vandalism,' Gupta said.

Gupta urged party leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, to settle political differences through dialogue rather than street mobilisation. 'If they hold the rally after Diwali, nobody will suffer losses or face inconvenience,' he said.

Ripple Effects Expected for Two to Three Days

Varjesh Aggarwal, owner of Bengali Sweet House and Pastry Shop, warned that the impact of a single day's rally would spill over well beyond the event itself. He predicted traffic congestion, reduced consumer movement, and slow business for two to three days surrounding the rally, precisely when festive buying is at its peak.

'Looking at the announcement of this rally, it seems that all traders will suffer considerable losses because Diwali is one of the main festivals, and everyone, big or small, looks forward to it. This one-day rally will also have several ripple effects,' Aggarwal said. He added that traders fully respected citizens' democratic right to peaceful expression but maintained that the timing was damaging. 'If they could reschedule the rally for after Diwali, it would be better. That way, their democratic right would also be preserved, public convenience would be maintained, and businesses could continue their work without disruption,' he said.

Khan Market Traders Say Appeals Have Gone Unheard

Sanjeev Mehra, President of the Khan Market Traders Association, said formal appeals to the Congress leadership had yielded no response. He alleged that the party appeared intent on disrupting commercial activity and accused it of using economic hardship as a political talking point while simultaneously contributing to it.

'Our letters are having no impact on the Congress party or Rahul Gandhi, and I do not understand what their objective is. It seems they are determined to keep the economy, which they once called dead, in that condition. If we cannot earn during the peak business season, our workers and their families will suffer,' Mehra said.

Mehra also directed criticism at political parties more broadly, questioning why traders consistently bore the financial burden of political mobilisation. He noted that when traders sought relief, they were advised to approach the Prime Minister, a suggestion he dismissed as impractical. 'My question is directed at every political party: are we traders the only ones who must keep suffering? We are always the ones bearing the brunt,' he said.

Context: Festive Season Stakes for Delhi Traders

The Diwali week typically accounts for a disproportionate share of annual revenues for Delhi's retail and food businesses, with sweet shops, gift retailers, and clothing outlets reporting their highest single-week turnover of the year. This year, the convergence of the November 1 INDIA bloc rally with the run-up to the festival has placed traders in an unusually difficult position. Notably, trader bodies have reportedly raised similar concerns ahead of each of the four previous rallies this year, with limited impact on scheduling decisions.

As of 27 October 2026, neither the Congress leadership nor other INDIA bloc constituents have publicly responded to the traders' latest appeal, and no change to the November 1 event has been announced.