'Mohabbat Ki Dukan' Hurts Our Business, Traders Say
Traders in New Delhi have urged Rahul Gandhi not to let his 'mohabbat ki dukan' campaign damage their businesses, as they seek a postponement of an INDI alliance rally scheduled for November 1.
The demand was made on Friday, when traders also appealed for the event to be delayed because of the Diwali festival, which falls in the coming days and is among the most important trading seasons of the year.
Paramjit Singh Pamma, president of the Sadar Bazar Bari Market Traders Association, said that traders were very upset and had been consistently asking Gandhi to understand their suffering. He suggested that the rally could be moved slightly forward and that doing so should not be a problem.
Pamma directly questioned the message behind the campaign. 'They say they are running a shop of love. But why are they destroying our shop in the name of that love? Why are they tearing down our shops?' he said.
He claimed that business had nearly collapsed, which was why people were cancelling their tickets. Pamma said traders had gone so far as to declare a complete boycott of the Congress in the elections and to oppose Gandhi everywhere. He added that if the leader did not understand their pain, traders would not make an effort to understand his arguments.
Diwali, Pamma said, is a vital time for merchants, who gather stock well in advance. He cautioned that with a rally held during the festive days, ordinary shoppers would stay away, potentially causing losses for businesses.
Rajeev Agarwal, treasurer of the Chandni Chowk Traders Council, said he was confident that Gandhi and his party would consider the letters that had been sent on the matter. He expressed hope that the party would decide to reschedule its November 1 programme.
Agarwal said traders were not asking the party to give up its programmes or protests altogether. In a democracy, he said, using democratic rights is essential, but in view of the festive season, the event could certainly be postponed for some time.