Rahul Gandhi urged people attending the November 1 INDIA bloc rally to shop at local Delhi markets. He said, "Protest, march, hold rallies, and along with that, do a little shopping too - it will benefit the traders." Gandhi dismissed BJP rumours about disruptions, encouraging support for small shop owners.
Rahul Gandhi urged INDIA bloc rallygoers to shop at Delhi's local markets. His appeal addressed traders' concerns about disruption during peak festive shopping.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged people attending the INDIA bloc's mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1 to support local traders by shopping at their stores during the festive season.
He said the rally would not hurt businesses and accused the BJP of spreading rumours about possible disruptions.
In a post on X, Gandhi said lakhs of people were expected to travel to Delhi for the rally and appealed to them to combine their participation in the protest with shopping at local markets.
"Protest, march, hold rallies, and along with that, do a little shopping too - it will benefit the traders," Gandhi said, extending his Diwali greetings.
He added that the rally would take place as planned and that participants would purchase goods from small shops across the city.
"The BJP is scared, that's why it's spreading rumours. But let's do both. Tomorrow there will be a march, there will be a rally, and lakhs of people will buy goods from the small shops of our traders," he said.
Gandhi's remarks came amid concerns raised by traders' associations over the timing of the rally, which is scheduled during the peak festive shopping period.