Re: Government scraps Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes! I have been quietly reading the posts in this thread since the past 4-5 days, after having posted some comments immediately following demonetisation. Yes, there has been difficulties faced by quite a few in their day to day lives. Business has been affected, daily wagers without jobs, economic slowdown, threat and fears of deflation, some very heart breaking unfortunate deaths.
There has been outrage at the implementation strategy, or the lack of one, as some so eloquently put it. There has been derision expressed at the knee jerk reactions of the Government, at their frequent extensions of largesse by way of waiver of tolls, bank fees and such. There has been concern expressed whether this would in any way lead to a better and stronger India.
The opposition smelled a conspiracy. The main aim being the ensuing elections. The ruling party has converted its 'black' and in one blow felled the opposition. There has been talk of a scam of gigantic proportions- of astronomical sums that leave one tottering to grapple with the sheer magnitude that they represent- and leave one wondering as to what 'goods', 'power', 'position' or comfort that these could buy, that is not readily available to the alleged conspirators.
There has been proven stories of the hoarders having converted their 'black' to 'white', albeit at a cost, and the government got nothing. There have been stories of jewelers having made huge profits, currency transactions, and so on.
Yes, there have been quite a few comments...and not so forgiving too.
I grew up in a typical middle class family, where a monthly budget was made and moneys put in envelopes for every expense. My mother, would somehow scrimp and scrounge, and try and save a few rupees for unforeseen expenses or buying that coveted shoe for me, which was pending for 6 months. Any requirement not covered in the monthly budget would evict a response: "Parkalam" meaning "we shall see" in Tamil. A phrase i hated most. It did not mean a definite "Yes" or a definite "No". It kept one in suspense and one was loath to take umbrage or such steps that could swing a possible "Yes" into a definite "No". So one waited. With bated breath. Do not misunderstand. I had a happy childhood. Money was short, but happiness was not. Getting a cycle to go to school kept one on a high for months. What i mean is that we learnt to value money, for the goodies it could buy...but more importantly, we learnt to be happy with what we had, and what we could dream to get.....hopefully one day.
It was this hope that was used to spur one to do well in studies by the parents. We were trained to be competitive, to work hard, to study hard, so that we could "Munuku varalaam" meaning come up in life. An euphemism which meant fulfilment of one's dreams, of being respected in society, of being rich, of having that status. In short everything that one did not have at that time.
And that is what we did. Worked hard. This would be the story of the huge middle class in the 60's, whether lower, middle or upper (middle class).
The values that we were drummed with was honesty, hard work, civic behaviour and so on. Some of the typical middle class moralities. I still, unfortunately as it seems, have the same moral values.
Now we see different values being nurtured, being appreciated, even admired by some. These values do what we tried to do with hard work, diligent study and honest application. These values buy that degree, buy that mark, get that job through influence, surmount every problem that one encounters . Did you, in a fit of righteous anger, shoot a stupid person who dared to overtake you on the road? And he died? What a bummer. But wait! We shall fix that. Money counts. Do you want your child to become a doctor, but unfortunately does have the chutzpa? No problem. Money would fix that. You want an out of turn goods, service. Money would fix that. And so on....
Such culture has over the past 3 decades or more become the only world that our children have seen. This is the world they have been born into, have studies in, have struggled in. They see their friends get that medical seat, even though they have scored lesser marks than themselves. They question these middle class morals that is constraining them, preventing them from coming up in life. The values required for "Munuku Varalaam" have changed. They see their parents as fuddy duddies as we used to see our parents.
Under such scenario, is this the world we would like our children grow up into? Is this the India of which we dreamed? Did each one of us not, at some point in our lives, yearn for an India which commanded respect, was looked up by the other countries, was feared by our enemies, was emulated by our neighbours. I have dreamt. And i still dream. When i used to travel abroad ( and i have travelled quite a bit) i used to feel upset at the injustice Indians faced. Once when i was in Kenya, our Ambassador Of India in Kenya was beaten up, his legs broken by some miscreants and his house ransacked. Would that have happened to an Ambassador of a 'developed' nation? Or if it had happened, would that Nation have taken it lying down? Can we go freely around the world as some of the 'developed' world citizens can? Can a visit by a law enforcer, be it the Police, IT, ED, DRI or such agency, be met with the quizzical bemused genuine expression that an honest, law abiding and fearless ( of the agencies) citizen of the 'developed' world exhibits? Can we do this that they can ? Can we do that that they do? Oh Yes. I have suffered. And hoped. And yearned. For a better India.
The demonetisation move may have created hardship, may have disrupted trade, may have brought down the GDP (this year) by a fraction, may have been poorly implemented, may have had other less laudable and vested (end) interests, etc etc. BUT, in the final analysis, at least in my mind, it is a good move. And this would not be the only step. Other moves would follow.
Since he too hopes for a better India.
Let us keep at least an open mind and support the move. For a better future. It cannot be worse than what we have now.
Sorry if i have sounded mushy, but wanted to give a perspective of what the average Indian feels.
Last edited by SDP : 28th November 2016 at 12:11.
Reason: Deleted a couple of lines based on rule #13
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