Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP of Closing Connaught Place Shops

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of forcing shops to close in New Delhi’s Connaught Place during an opposition rally on November 1, alleging the closures hurt local traders. The reports establish that Gandhi made the accusation; they do not independently verify whether shops were closed or who was responsible. Gandhi made the claim in a video posted on X while travelling to the INDIA bloc’s march and rally at Ramlila Maidan. He said he had previously urged people coming to Delhi for the event to shop at local businesses during the festive season. He alleged that, on reaching Connaught Place, he learned the BJP had forcibly shut the shops. The Chamber of Trade and Industry had warned of possible disruption to businesses around the rally. The traders’ body estimated that about 2.5 lakh shops within five kilometres of Ramlila Maidan might close and that roughly 80% of business activity could stop. Those were forecasts by the association, not verified counts of shops that shut or measured losses. The group also raised concerns about transport and the movement of goods during the pre-Diwali shopping period. The rally, organized by the INDIA bloc at...