Ubiquitous
Christmas of 2014 had been christened Good Governance Day by the newly-elected NDA Government. Offices had been kept open to…
Demonetisation is a revolutionary measure. Narendra Modi’s announcement on 8 November set the cat among the pigeons.
“Aap ko MLA banna hai … Bring Five Crore.”
“Aap ko Sub Inspector banna Hai ? Bring 50 Lacs’’
“Want a seat in the best medical college? It costs Rs one crore only’’
Such talk has been rife in this country for a long time and must change now. The corrupt and dishonest, the criminals and all those who feed on the power of black money and a depraved system should not be allowed to make the honest and ethical look foolish, poor and powerless.
The bold decision stunned many. And yet, it seems to encapsulate tremendous possibilities of betterment. The nation, with its 80-plus per cent poor and struggling, welcomed the decision and still celebrates the historic move though not without anger, frustration and apprehensions that have been surfacing in many forms.
Demonetisation is a complex process and seems to have been producing many reactions in its wake. Some observers now feel that elation has given way to frustration and cheers have turned into jeers. They feel there should have been a better preparedness from the government to handle the consequences. Like on any other day, now too the poor, the farmers and the daily struggling class have suffered the most. People have to stand in long queues for hours and return without money.
Trade in a predominantly cash-driven economy has drastically come down in almost all segments of the unorganized sector and many migrant workers who came to cities for survival have returned to their villages.
People faced problems in paying money to doctors and hospitals and many even died prematurely. Farmers could not buy seed and fertilizer in time and fear a crop failure in spite of a good monsoon.
As no one would accept the old notes, even school children faced problems in paying fees. Many in the marriage season could not even withdraw their own money and that severely affected the big event that often comes once in a life time. Tolerant Indians accepted all this without much protest.
But this state of chaos certainly gave fillip to the opposition parties to unite and some even talked of citizens’ rights being violated. “Can the PM show me one single country where people can deposit but can’t withdraw their own money?” the normally docile Manmohan Singh asked in parliament while condemning the “monumental mismanagement” of what he called a good idea.
There are others like Mamata Banerjee, Mayavati and Arvind Kejiriwal who have gone even more vocal. Mamata threatened to hit the streets and Mayavati even mulled over calling for a fresh election on the issue.
The Congress and the Communist parties criticized the PM for high-handedness and wondered where this dictatorial attitude would end. Be that as it may, the fact is that even today after several weeks of chaos, people are still hoping for better days even as experts and economists have warned of the consequences of stalled growth, diminishing money values and lost employment opportunities for a nation of young people.
There are others who see more inconveniences ahead to large numbers of people in what is predominantly a cash economy with over 80 per cent using cash for their transactions and without smart phones or digital habits. Even some of the top industrialists who welcomed Modi’s move as a “watershed moment in the fight against black money” have expressed annoyance, dissatisfaction and apprehension about the inconvenience to people and wondered how things would unfold.
The Supreme Court, expressing its grave concern about the inconveniences people face, asked for smarter and faster solutions. But fortunately with all the fear and apprehensions, the way the government looked more than willing to offer solutions at a faster pace also went a long way in assuaging hurt feelings of the general public who as per many polls supported the move of the PM.
It is too early to predict the outcome of demonetisation. Figuratively speaking, it has been a nuclear strike at the very core of a cancerous, festering system. It symbolizes a rejection of the arrogance of black-money holders on the one hand and on the other emphasizes the importance of moral values.
Some unconscionably rich people seem to have changed overnight. The humble driver is being addressed now as ‘Ramu Bhai’ instead of ‘Oye Ramu.’ Maid servants are being treated with greater respect. Humble workers in factories, teachers in private schools and domestic workers are being paid several months’ salaries in advance. Some private organizations are giving unsought loans to their workers.
What will happen to ‘Stree Dhana’ and the dignity of women in this changed pattern of living in a cashless culture? Will millions of housewives be strapped of their personal wealth, part of a thoughtfully-designed tradition to let them live with dignity even without seemingly playing an economic role in the family?
According to age-old smritis, gifts made to a woman before the nuptial fire, at the bridal procession, or gifts made as a token of love by a father-in-law, mother-in-law, father, mother or brother, or gifts from a woman’s relations, or partitioned property inherited by them or property acquired during maidenhood, subsistence of marriage or widowhood, is all construed as “Stree Dhana.”
Every housewife in almost every house has her own personal wealth that may run from Rs. 50,000 to a few lakh rupees. A woman’s right to her ‘stree dhana’ is protected by law that makes her the ‘absolute owner’ of such property and she can deal with it in any manner she likes.
In many cases, women dip into this money to stave off a crisis in the family or to deal with an emergency. Now will all this money be treated as black or white? Will they be taxed? Will the thrust on a cashless economy affect their savings? Will it affect their financial freedom, sense of dignity and their personal pride? Will they feel helpless and insulted?
Further as per Indian tradition, many people keep a portion of their income aside for alms and donations in terms of their scriptures or their conscience. Many opt for ‘Gau Seva’ (caring for cows) while others give to charities to feed the poor, or caring for the aged or in the form of donations for building places of worship or to educational institutions. How will all this be affected now? Can tasks requiring cash be fulfilled as well in a cashless society? Now the government says that if anyone has deposited the money of others, they will be punished and sent to jail. My question is how will the government do that? How will authorities determine the nature and character of that money? Is there any legally valid way to find out? If so, will government allow those people to knock on the door of the courts? Legal redress is a democratic right but how long will it take for already overburdened courts to dispense justice? Decades? And will that justify the actions taken? Or will the government just send all those it deems guilty to jails? Do our jails have space?
Demonetisation is a bold and huge decision. Only time will tell if it will effect a true change in our economy. It is the biggest gamble taken towards establishing egalitarian values in this country. If it will ensure a better future for our progeny, we are willing to put up with all hardships.
(The writer is Chairman, Paras Foundation and can be reached at praveshjain@parasdyes.com)
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