India, Oct. 24 -- The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) on Saturday urged Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi to postpone the INDIA bloc's upcoming rally on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan, saying the demonstration could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000 crore during the Diwali shopping season.

In a letter to Rahul, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the rally could affect wholesale and retail markets around Ramlila Maidan at a time when traders expect heavy customer footfall ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali.

"This year, Dhanteras falls on Friday, November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhai Dooj on November 10. People begin shopping for Dhanteras and Diwali a week in advance. In Delhi alone, Dhanteras-related business across sectors such ...