Rahul Gandhi urges rally crowd to shop for festivals, backing Delhi traders

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked the hundreds of thousands expected at the INDIA bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' rally on Sunday, Nov 1, to shop for upcoming festivals and help central Delhi traders. He made the appeal in a video released on Oct 31, saying the time of Diwali, Chhath and Bhai Dooj had arrived and that visitors should support local shops. Gandhi added that participants could protest, march and hold rallies while also doing a little shopping, which would benefit the traders. The request follows a call from a central Delhi traders body that had earlier urged him to postpone the rally until the Deepavali holiday, citing concerns that the crowd could hurt business. Gandhi’s appeal aims to combine political activity with economic support for the market area. ## Context Festivals such as Deepavali generate a surge in retail sales, and traders often rely on increased footfall during these periods. Large political gatherings can disrupt normal commerce, so encouraging shoppers to buy alongside the rally can mitigate potential losses.