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2023: ONE MORE DEMONITISATION (NOTE BANDHI )
BY MODI GOVERNMENT
I DREAD THE VISITS TO THE BANK FOR THE EXCHANGE OF NOTES.
I have no black or blue or violet or any other color of money.
I am a senior citizen, of 1943 vintage. The last demonetisation process of 2016 of Modi’s Government gave me an experience which I don’t want a repeat of.
2016: AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE
First, there was the crowd outside the bank. It took me three hours of pushing and jostling just to enter the Bank. It was terrible to see old women and the disabled being pushed around. Daily wagers and household helps stuck for hours outside banks, just awful.
It was followed by Standing for hours at different counters inside the bank, one for submitting a form, another for cheque and one for receiving a grand sum of Rs 2000-. On the way back home, I paid the local Chemist Rs 1850/-; cost of XL size adult diapers and medicines for my mother who was bedridden and was 100+.
This was followed by months when I had to request youngsters in the neighbourhood to stand in line at 5 am in the morning at ATMs to withdraw Rs 500/-.
REPEAT OF TORTURE FOR ORDINARY CITIZENS
I do not believe in government claims that Rs 2000/- will be legitimate in the market till September. In fact, no one will accept Rs 2000/- from today except those who like last time will demand 10 to 15% for exchanging the notes.
Last time, I witnessed how daily wagers and jobless youngsters were got together by touts, to be ‘employed’ for exchanging the old notes. It will be a repeat again.
Indian government talk of use till September has no meaning for us on ground.
WE WILL HAVE TO RUSH TO BANKS.
Understand that one will have to visit the bank, and only Rs 20,000/- can be deposited. In return you will get Rs only Rs 4000/-, for which you will have to deposit a cheque and wait at the cash counter, God knows for how long.
ELECTIONS & BLACK MONEY
Government of India will say it has its reasons. Opposition Parties will castigate the government. That is the routine.
Would this have taken place had BJP won in Karnataka? Likely, Not likely? BJP needs to accept its inferior performance and its ditching Hindus that lead to its defeat in Karnataka.
Of course, money must have played its part.
BJP is hoping that the regional and opposition parties sitting on mounds of cash will not be able to use them in the coming state elections and the Central elections.
It is a known fact that fake currency flows via Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. These huge sums are being used to fund Naxalites, Islamic extremist groups and evangelists, and Tool Kitters.
Last time the Demonetization helped curb terrorist activities especially in Kashmir, UP and some southern states. It helped in choking the land mafia, and developers. However incomplete follow up led to thousands of innocent hopeful homeowners being drowned in loans and court cases.
Political Parties and Bahubalis 2016
They tackled the 2016 demonetization drive in their own way. It is in the air that ‘Pehelwans’ in UP, ‘Bahubalis’ in Bihar just walked into banks, sat in front of the managers, who simply folded up and replaced all old currencies with new notes. Thousands of debit and credit cards were issued overnight in the coastal regions of Karnataka and Kerala to partymen.
Choppers flew to Assam, full of demonetized notes.
The rest of the states, I am sure, were no different.
NOW IN 2023 ORDINARY CITIZENS: WHAT DO WE DO? HELPLESS.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.
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