Mega Rally: INDIA Bloc Targets One Million People at Ramlila Maidan

Preparations are underway for the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Congress leaders are claiming that more than one million people will attend. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra recently visited the venue with senior party leaders to review arrangements. The Congress has reportedly set a target of bringing at least 350,000 people from other states, including up to 150,000 from Haryana, 100,000 from Rajasthan, 50,000 from Uttar Pradesh, 20,000 from Himachal Pradesh and 15,000 from Telangana. The BJP has criticised the planned rally and announced a counter-march titled “Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy,” accusing Congress of spreading confusion and political instability. Meanwhile, Delhi’s Chamber of Trade and Industry has raised concerns about the rally’s timing during the festive shopping season. The organisation estimates that protests and related disruptions have already caused ₹3,000 crore in business losses, including impacts on retail, wholesale, hospitality, transport and informal workers. Traders fear that a large gathering could disrupt traffic and affect nearby markets such as Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar and Connaught Place. They have written to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, requesting that the rally be postponed until after Diwali. They have also approached Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav, but responses to their latest appeal were still awaited.