Rahul Gandhi tells traders to ask Modi to sack Gyanesh Kumar, says protests will end in 30 seconds

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday, October 26, asked Delhi traders to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying protests against the poll panel chief would stop within 30 seconds if the government acted on the demand.

In a post on X, Gandhi expressed solidarity with Delhi’s business community after a traders’ body requested that the INDIA bloc postpone its November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan, citing concerns over business disruptions during the festive shopping season.

“We love you and hear you,” Gandhi wrote, alleging that the government had shut metro services, sealed roads and restricted movement in the capital during previous demonstrations.

Linking the protests to the Opposition’s allegations of electoral irregularities, Gandhi wrote: “With a stolen vote nothing is safe — your shop, your savings, your children’s future.” He referred to Kumar as “accused no. 4” and called on Modi to remove him.

The remarks came after the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), led by chairman Brijesh Goyal, wrote to Gandhi seeking the postponement of the November 1 rally until after November 10, when the festive shopping period around Dhanteras, Diwali and Bhai Dooj would have concluded.

The traders’ body warned that rallies, traffic diversions and restrictions on movement could affect customer footfall and the transportation of goods across Delhi’s commercial markets. It cited potential business losses during one of the busiest periods for retailers.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday that the party leadership would discuss the request with INDIA bloc allies and work towards a solution.

The proposed rally is part of the Opposition’s campaign against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Opposition leaders have demanded Kumar’s resignation and called for accountability over what they describe as “vote chori”.

The allegations remain contested and should not be treated as established findings of wrongdoing. Gandhi’s latest remarks reiterate the Opposition’s political demand; they do not indicate that the rally has been postponed or cancelled.