A political face-off over the Congress’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan has intensified, with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi asserting that protests would stop “in 30 seconds” if PM Narendra Modi removed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after Delhi’s traders warned of potential losses worth Rs 10,000 crore and urged the Congress to postpone the event until after Diwali.Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed solidarity with Delhi’s trading community, alleging that government-imposed restrictions had disrupted business and daily life in the national capital. Linking the issue to the Opposition’s allegations of electoral malpractice, Gandhi said, “To every trader in Delhi: We love you and hear you.”“The Govt shut the metro, sealed our roads and locked down our Capital,” he alleged, adding, “With a stolen vote nothing is safe — your shop, your savings, your children’s future.”Targeting the PM over the Opposition’s demand for action against the Chief Election Commissioner, Gandhi said, “Tell Modi to sack accused No. 4, Gyanesh Kumar and the protests will stop in 30 seconds.”Meanwhile, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged the authorities to reconsider the use of Ramlila Maidan as a venue for political rallies, citing concerns over traffic congestion, disruptions to wholesale markets and potential financial losses.CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the organisation had written to the Delhi Police Commissioner, requesting that Ramlila Maidan be de-notified as a designated protest site. He suggested that alternative venues, including the CBD Ground in Burari or another location on Delhi’s outskirts, be considered for future demonstrations.Goyal stressed that Ramlila Maidan’s proximity to major commercial hubs made it particularly vulnerable to disruptions during large gatherings. According to him, around 20 major wholesale markets are located within a five-kilometre radius of the venue, with goods worth crores dispatched daily to destinations across India and abroad.Raising concerns over the expected turnout, the CTI chairman pointed to claims that as many as 10 lakh people could attend the rally, despite the venue’s stated capacity of around 50,000. He warned that the gathering could strain transport infrastructure and lead to restrictions affecting nearby markets.Goyal further claimed that three to four lakh shoppers visit these markets daily and could be affected by possible road closures, barricading and metro disruptions. He said Delhi’s trading sector had already suffered estimated losses of Rs 3,000 crore over the previous 25 days and projected that the rally could cause a further loss of Rs 10,000 crore.The CTI chairman welcomed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s reported assurance that the party would consider the traders’ concerns. He urged Kharge to raise the issue at the upcoming meeting of the INDIA bloc and seek a resolution to reschedule the November 1 rally until after Diwali, citing the livelihoods of an estimated 20 lakh traders.