NEW DELHI
Traders and street vendors in central Delhi’s commercial hubs have reported a decline in business over the past two weeks amid heavy police deployment and barricading for protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
While traders in areas such as Janpath and Connaught Place (C.P.) acknowledge the right to peaceful protest, they differ on whether the demonstrations or the police restrictions have hurt their businesses more.
Jay Prakash Yadav, a roadside vendor at Janpath, claimed access to the market had been completely blocked for five days between October 2 and 11, affecting his livelihood.
“People who are protesting are exercising their right to protest. But when the police stop us and keep patrolling in uniform, it scares people away. They (the Union government) should think about everyone, including our livelihood,” he said.
Viran Gaikwad, a vendor in C.P., said the demonstrations had deterred customers, particularly families, from visiting the market. He added that the area, which attracts both local shoppers and foreign tourists, had witnessed a sharp fall in footfall in the past couple of days.
“This has impacted our business significantly, cutting sales by over 80%. Moreover, this is the festive season, the peak time for our businesses,” he said.
‘Affecting livelihoods’
Mohammed Hayat, a member of the Town Vending Committee under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), said the restrictions had disproportionately affected street vendors, many of whom depend on daily earnings to sustain their livelihoods.
He said the committee had written to the NDMC and the Delhi police on Monday, seeking an extension of vending hours until 9.30 p.m. in view of the protests.
“Street vendors are denied entry and are even restricted by the police, so they face the most problems in carrying out their work,” Mr. Hayat said.
Financial concerns
For some traders, the timing of the protests and the resulting disruptions have compounded their financial concerns, as the festive season typically brings a surge in sales.
Rajit Kumar, a jewellery vendor in central Delhi, said he supported the younger generation’s decision to protest for their rights but was finding it increasingly difficult to reconcile that support with the impact on his livelihood.
“I am not able to empathise now because my bread and butter are affected due to these protests. Hamari rozi-roti pe asar pad raha hai (our livelihood is being affected),” he said, adding, “So many women would come and look at jewellery for Garba and Navratri. This time, people are not able to reach here.”
Bhavna, who runs a sports shop in C.P., said traffic congestion and the protests across the area had made customers reluctant to visit.
He argued that demonstrations should be confined to designated locations to minimise disruption to daily life.
Letter to Minister
The disruption has prompted business organisations to seek the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a memorandum submitted to Mr. Shah on Thursday, the Chamber of Indian Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) called for measures to protect business continuity, public safety and the livelihoods of MSMEs, startups, traders and commercial establishments.
The memorandum noted that commercial hubs such as C.P., Ramlila Ground and their surrounding areas support a broad range of economic activities, including MSMEs, startups, retail outlets, professional offices, service providers and restaurants.
Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, in a post on X, said the restrictions imposed by the authorities, rather than peaceful protests, were responsible for much of the disruption.
“Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests. They suffer when the government decides to shut down an entire city, suspend internet services and restrict the movement of its own citizens and turn the city into a war zone,” he said.