Demonetization: Millions of man hours on queues, 100+ deaths. Why punish 96% of people for crimes done by 4%?

By Ujjwal K Chowdhury*
Let us not fool ourselves and ask the following questions or look into the following issues:
(A) Around 12 lakh crores of 14 lakh crores of demonetized money has come back to RBI and with 20 days to go more. At least 1 lakh crore or more will return. Then there is some money already with RBI from the earlier notes. So where is the black money and counterfeit notes gone? Or have they become white?
(B) It is obvious that less than 10% of the black money was held in cash. Some say only 6%. Above fact shows it. Then why punish 96% of the people for crimes done by 4% or lesser? And what a punishment: millions of man hours on queues, 100+ deaths in lines, 15+ bankers dead on duty, several committed suicides, marriages cancelled or turned skeletal, markets standstill, jobs lost etc. etc. India Express, ABP News and Mint have covered very well the human tragedy.
(C) If only 6% of black money held in cash, then remaining 94% can only be held in land, gold, foreign accounts and political funding. Then why NO action so far on these? Why political funding below 20K still unaccounted? Why parties are not under RTI, though we have to show IDs for our own money, and that too for small amounts?
(D) If it is for cashless society with digital money, then how can less than 60,000 bank branches and less than 2 lakh ATMs in India serve nearly 1000 cities and towns and 6 lakh villages? And more so when 54% of the people are outside banking system, electricity has not reach one fourth of India, and at least half the population or more are not computer or smart phone literate forget knowledge of internet. Without access, infra-structure, knowledge and habit being addressed, is such enforced digital economy any practical measure?
(E) Should the government not have launched Rs.500 first (alternative, with strong security measures), in the same size of earlier Rs.500, and NOT launched Rs.2000 notes which no one changes and that too smaller than ATM dispensation mechanism, and that too both very inadequately that even cities are not covered, forget the villages?
(F) Should the govt not have asked people to account for their lands, houses, gold and foreign accounts with known sources of income rather than strike at 500-1000 notes which made up 86% of the currency without replacing even 20% of the denotified money till date?
(G) Changing of goalpost from black money to digital cashless economy, changing of rules of deposit and withdrawals more than 40 times so far in first 30 days of demonetization: what does it show of the govt, its preparations, and the policy as such?
(H) Since terrorists, bankers, touts, BJP functionaries and engineers are being caught with new currency from lakhs to crores, while the banks are giving only Rs.2000 to individuals and Rs.50,000 to companies, does it not make a full scale mockery of the government claims of secrecy, anti-terror measures, and anti-corruption policy? In fact, it is easier to indulge in corruption with Rs.2000 notes now.
Since there are no satisfactory, pro-people, pro-nation answers to these questions, and since economy has come down already by 2%, with sowing season up for a toss ahead, will blind bhakti do ANY national service now? Please go beyond Modis, Amit Shahs, Mamatas, Kejriwals, Rahuls of the world, and truly, truly think of the nation! Where are we moving towards?
---
*Education and media consultant. Commentary was first published HERE

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Centre criminally negligent': SKM demands national disaster declaration in flood-hit states

By A Representative The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has urged the Centre to immediately declare the recent floods and landslides in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Haryana as a national disaster, warning that the delay in doing so has deepened the suffering of the affected population.

Saffron Kingdom – a cinematic counter-narrative to The Kashmir Files

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* “Saffron Kingdom” is a film produced in the United States by members of the Kashmiri diaspora, positioned as a response to the 2022 release “The Kashmir Files.” While the latter focused on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and framed Kashmiri Muslims as perpetrators of violence, “Saffron Kingdom” seeks to present an alternate perspective—highlighting the experiences of Kashmiri Muslims facing alleged abuses by Indian security forces.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

From lazy to lost? The myths and realities behind generational panic about youth

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak Older generations in many societies often describe the young with labels such as “lazy, unproductive, lost, anxious, depoliticised, unpatriotic or wayward.” Others see them as “social media, mobile phone and porn addicts.” Such judgments arise from a generational anxiety rooted in fears of losing control and from distorted perceptions about youth, especially in the context of economic crises, conflicts, and wars in which many young lives are lost.

Counterview

Search This Blog