Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the INDIA bloc’s “Chalo Dilli” mega rally, accusing the ruling party of forcibly closing shops in Central Delhi to prevent protesters from buying goods from local vendors.
The political clash follows criticism from BJP leaders who alleged that the Opposition’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar caused financial losses to capital-based traders during the peak festive season.
Rahul Gandhi’s Video Response and Counter-Allegations
While leading the march toward Ramlila Maidan, Rahul Gandhi released a video message addressing the trade disruptions in and around Connaught Place:
”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 here, we found out that the BJP has forcibly shut down every single shop. So, you should know who is causing the loss to the traders, and how it’s happening!”
Earlier in the day, Gandhi had encouraged outstation supporters and local participants to support street vendors and shopkeepers as part of a “protest, march, and shop” directive.
BJP representatives had previously targeted the alliance, claiming that large-scale rallies in business hubs like Connaught Place create major trade hurdles during the festive shopping period.
