Found Guilty! Demonetizing is Demonizing n Demeanizing

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

My name is ©Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava. Greetings from Phoenix! I’m a Fulbright Professor at the School of Sustainability of the Arizona State University for this year to work on environmental governance. I hail from your very own Ahmedabad since 1995. I’ve closely observed your rise from a RSS Sevak to a Rashtra Sevak.

Mr. Prime Minister, it is less likely that the Achche Din will arrive at the end of the fifty days and cheer us for the Happy New Year, just like the Good Governance did not come to greet us Merry Christmas. Your narratives for the surgical strike of the demonetization ‘to Counter Corruption and Terrorism and further the Cashless Economy’ followed by the shifting narratives with over fifty plus rules in fifty days followed by awards n rewards trigger several questions on this radical move. Even if the narratives are taken at a face value, you are still authorized for continued undemocratic and unconstitutional decision making that has brought a havoc situation to a healthy economy.

In the spirit of winning the gamble played, I’d argue that you went on to Demonize the Citizens as well as Demeanize the Currency. I’m not against the Demonetization per se, yet I’d argue that the Instinct is Desperate; the Intention is Disillusioned; the Implementation is Dictatorial; the Implication is Disastrous and they altogether suffice your IDentity in this radicalism.

DESPERATE INSTINCT 

It is understandable the phenomena that as a leadership instinct one is desperate to do something bigger at the peak of a career to immortalise thyself, like several leaders have done in the history. Your desperation to do something and do dictatorially allows drawing parallels with Zimbabwe President Mugabe and Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi who also demonetized much to its failure eventually. Unfortunately, this time the failure here is affecting us in the country.

Given a benefit of doubt for a D-instinct, you should have drawn a road map for implementation and calculated the major implications. Importantly, you should have put the idea forward to the house or to the people for debate prior to D-declaration. It is obvious now that you neither had a road map charted out for implementation nor did you realize the implications to its full scale. The whole exercise could’ve been implemented in a planned manner over a set time (say your tenure). Pretending feedbacks later was a Tokenism of public participation. Then thumping of consolations such as, ‘in the light of public ease the continuous rule changes are necessary and the pain will be rewarded with an app and lucky draw’ merely conforms to your desperation. It was no surprise to see you thumping in the New Year speech about D-success that was a futile exercise.

The D-politics of the upcoming elections in Goa, Punjab and UP is no more unobvious. Please be reminded that you are not appointed by the citizens to go after RG, AK, Mulayam, Mayawati. Let that politics be the job of the BJP President. I wish you are able to make a difference between politics and government. Since, they are neither the country nor the representatives of the entire country. A PM is expected to rise above party politics and maintain the dignity of the position. You are expected to serve the citizens and not run suppressing the opposition.

Importantly, I want to remind you that the Nehruvian establishment is a way of governing. Merely fighting the Gandhi’s is naïve and shows your limited understanding of the governing philosophy. Even to tis real, the system allowed people like Ambedkar, Patel, Radhkrishnan and many others to perform and justify their role. In addition, it allowed leaders like Bajpai, Advani to stand tall to oppose….even you. Ironically, you’ve authorized a One Man Show with dictating terms to the President, SC, Finance Minister, Niti Ayog, and many more…to the extent of even disregarding the need of opposition. This is a beginning of death of a Democracy. I know several citizens wished for a dictator for some time to set things straight in India. I’d argue if the Germans think that Hitler set things straight for them. I guess the desire for a strong leader was more in the lines of Marx’s misinterpreted communism. In return, the rise of such Dictatorship is what Marx had actually feared in the modern Capitalistic Era.

DISILLUSIONED INTENTION

Given a benefit of doubt for the D-intentions to counter corruption and terrorism besides going cashless, it is hard to accept that a D-surgery was the only way to go on an urgent basis. The shifting narratives in the fifty days alongwith fifty plus rules (primarily to restrain n penalize transactions) and the forthcoming award-n-rewards shows the intention is not only disillusioned, it is aimed towards a consumeristic society. The only intention that is true to your words is that the D-process will bring pain for us. And a promise that the pain is for fifty days is either real or just a metaphor. By the way, many including the media took it in literal sense (onus is on your speeches) and you lived upto everyone’s expectation by coming up in the New Year speech with a ‘BHIM’ supposedly a Baan n Baam (arrow n ointment) as a solution for all the problems of the country. I want to remind you that we aren’t your customers even if you are appointed to serve us. Besides, how do you expect us to keep track of the rules? How do you expect us to believe you that the D-doom days are over?

First you said in the D-declaration that all those with black-cash money will be put to public scrutiny. Didn’t tell how? Then in Japan you make a mockery of the Indians that now you’ll see people draining their cash into the rivers (sounds like a warning and terrorizing). Ganga is already too Maili, sorry we don’t need black money to make it dirtier. Then you promise that the pain for fifty days. Fifty days is no mantra as such reforms don’t work with a calendar year: Here comes the Happy New Year and brings the Achchey Din (Happy Days). Note that citizens are sarcastically waiting for the Achche Din on the Happy New Year! Then you start abusing those who are questioning the intentions by calling them corrupt and anti-national to the extent of calling them Pakistani (not that being Pakistan is the biggest sin on earth). Then when you find that every penny of the so called black money coming back to the bank, you start threatening people with taxes n legal sanctions. Then you start the divide and rule game by asking people to report about others through a hotline/email. If it was to demonize the citizens into each other’s eyes and to oneself, I feel sorry to say that this is a PhD under your leadership after graduating from Babri-Gujarat. Now, in the New Year speech, you say about citizens’ acceptance of the past mistakes (since we all deposited) and D-opportunity to cleanse selves. What should we understand about your intentions from the series of allegations to the citizens?

DICTATORIAL IMPLEMENTATION

The dictatorial approach of D-implementation is alarming and a cause of worry for a democracy. The implementation faults and foul plays reflects that the policy was not even discussed with the internal economic team that must be in such loop. As far as I know, it is at the RBI’s discretion to decide for demonetization. Did the RBI present any such proposal for 2000 to the government? The RBI seems to have a back seat with just one public appearance, the finance minister two or three, and few interviews by Niti Ayog guys, that’s it! Where is the economic advisory to this? The poor implementation with flying changes in the rules reflects mis-judgement of the scale and society under D-effect.

From the recent history, such dictatorial (despotic as Amartya Sen writes) implementation allows drawing parallels with Adolf Hitler’s handling of the war and then its poor follow up strategies allows drawing parallels with Joseph Stalin’s communism rampage. And the paranoia generated from it allows drawing parallels with the Maoism from Mao Zedong’s era. So, you will certainly stay in our imagination for the D-sanctions and the thumping messages of the D-success. However, there’ll be long-fetched damage done to the country just like these leaders did and it will take a while to come to terms with the damage control.

Implementation of Countering Corruption

Demonetization is demonizing the identity and imagination.

At an individual level

Until the early November of 2016, I (like many) was considered by my family/friends/colleagues an uncorrupt and a nationalist who works on the Indian waters. I’ve tried living as much possible as uncorrupt (it is naïve to think as a fully uncorrupt in India) and cashless, and absolutely away from indulging in any terrorism activity. Besides, I’ve been pro-government and non-partisan since I understand the challenges of governing as my work is focused on Governance (of natural resource/ environment management). Questioning the imposition of the demonetization has, unfortunately, demonized my (and alike) very being in the eyes of the acquaintances and above all in thyself. I stress ‘just questioning’ the undemocratic process is considered a crime under your regime. Ironically, our democracy is under threat of losing free speech more than ever.

You’ll agree that middle aged professionals (like me) working for 20-25 years (as Architect, Planner, Manager, Policy Advisor, Lawyer, Charted Accountant) from public/private sector Earn often way more than what is spent in living (traditionally conservative) in India. You’ll also agree that saving (say) 20-25 Lakhs worth of wealth is no big deal for such professionals. I hope you believe that in a free country (until we are RSS-ised), we are entitled to our Choices of saving n spending. Drawing a parallel with the taxed acquaintances with the same amount of wealth, people opted for different choices and combinations of saving and spending. Some chose to invest in gold, some in movable and immovable properties. Some chose fattish lifestyle with expensive homes n furnishings, cars n bars, and changed them number of times in these years. Some chose expensive holidays and even some chose offshoring to international banks/investments. Some chose to born and raise child/ren with high costs. There are also many who saved aplenty just because they did not fall under the tax bracket or are influential businessmen and politicians. And ofcourse, there are those who chose to save in currency what is now connoted negatively as hoarding. I want to remind you that several small businesses (political systems get leverage here) are dealt in currency since antiquity.

Shockingly a nightfall you declare the latter option as illegitimate if saved in 500-1000 denomination. Ironically, the same amount of wealth if saved in a denomination other than the declared demonetized ones or if lying in the bank accounts is considered a legitimate affair just like the other aforementioned options. Still more saddening part is, trying to understand the situation and questioning it alone is putting me (and alike) under the presumption of being corrupt and anti-national among the very acquaintances that chose the other options of savings and spending than currency. Unfortunately, the idea of being corrupt and anti-national is entrenched in the (already disbelieving) minds of people through various media platforms as an old tactic of divide and rule. First tagged as corrupt, then as anti-national and later graduated to being Pakistani (not that there is anything wrong in being a Pakistani). Undoubtedly, you have a fair understanding of the orthodoxy of ours to have succeeded in capturing our imagination. However, you misjudged our and rational economic intelligence.

At the operation level

First, the promised cash flow failed to reach banks and then fulfil the demands. In addition, the banks were provided with so much power at their disposal that they started behaving like Police. Without taking the banking sector in confidence and making the banking full proof of D-leaks, the (legitimized) foul play from the banks was obvious. Banks did not distribute the ‘allowed’ legitimate cash to the people instead the cash leaked into the market. Several atms went non-functional with overuse and poorly calibrated for the new currency. The situation continued to worsen and is even worse in the rural areas until date. Why in first place, the numder of atms were increased manifold before the D-decision? We have acute shortage of atms (20 in a lakh people) with respect to a large and growing (cashless) economy. Second, the government route of voluntary disclosure of cash is unviable with the brackets of penalty, lock-in, and return besides the risk of attack on the nationalist identity. The market route was loss making too with commission ranging from 15-45% for cash exchange (in your own Ahmedabad it started with 15 and went up to 45 and then finally settled at 25% in few weeks), however they turned out to be more trustworthy in salvaging the remaining wealth alongwith the nationalist identity. So actually, many (like me) were pushed to the obvious choice of market exchange to buy their cash and nationalism. Then, there are those who had cash in the bank accounts and are certainly entitled to legitimate businesses out of this situation. So actually, many (hypocrites like me) were pushed to the market exchange of old currency for a commission and make huge profits. Several of them even went on blabbering appraisal of the policy to protect thy nationalism. Thirdly, the limiting the transaction amount and rush to open Jan Dhan accounts for compartmentalizing legitimacy of transaction (aka nationalism) also pushed several small scale Hawala. It is only after weeks of transactions, there were revelations that most of the cash ended up going to the political party funds since political parties are not entitled to disclosure of the assets. Instead of holding them accountable, a path was paved for this illegitimate affair.

Thus, having cash in hand (later some were even caught with new notes, how is that possible?) or in bank or in new accounts provided choices of engaging in corrupt practices. And then having political connection is like icing on the cake. Therefore, I believe that you’ve demonized the imagination of the citizens in corrupt practices and in the process legitimized the practice. This is a serious negative social impact than the desired policy change. In the run to counter corruption the process hatched More Corrupt People.

Implementation of Countering Terrorism

The D-narrative to counter terrorism by destroying their counterfeit currency is difficult idea to buy. The anticipated counterfeit currency is not held by the terrorists alone, they are spread across the country. Also the hypothesis that the terrorists alone (not anyone else) produce the counterfeit currency is unproven. And even if they do, why can’t they print the 2000 note if they could print 500-1000s? It was obvious to hear trumpets proving that the terrorists are now devoid of the new notes, but how? Not surprising that post demonetization there are more news on terrorist killings than in recent time. I wonder if the army already knew the coordinates of the terrorist activities, why/how did they require the demonetization to spot and attack them. At a face value of it, killing a few terrorists isn’t anyway enough to counter terrorism. Terrorism is mindset and that has to be addressed. Please be reminded that often their activities have local (even army/political) connections to execute their mission. If you really wish to uproot the terrorist activities support the local people with their needs to take them into confidence. Breed the nationalism in them. Technically, our constitution does not allow punishing the entire country to punish the few terrorists.

In addition, I want to bring to your notice the distinction between terrorist activity and internal unrest is harmful. Everyone fighting the system or fighting for their right are not terrorists. For that matter, every anti-national cannot be tagged as terrorist either. I believe some extent of disturbances through terrorism and internal unrest are created out of political and military necessity whether in north-east, UP, Chhattisgarh, North-East and in Kashmir. With Kashmir, it is not hidden how the army treats the locals. With Chhattisgarh also, it is not hidden how the tribal are under pressure from the public-private sector for the precious natural resources that the area hold. ..and so on…

The politics of war with Pakistan seems to stay as long as the two civilizations will be since it is (again) in the interest of the politics that Pakistan/China issues stay Hot! In past two years, the border unrest have increased including Nepal, Bangladesh, and China. Your peace talks with Pakistan have been just other hoax (like previous leaders) to keep the real warriors in the drill for War. Please note that a desperation to fight Pakistan in an overnight battle is harmful by all means for our country. Besides, there are several citizens having friends and relatives across the borders.  It will not be surprising at all if you go to War with Pakistan. The hatred and distrust now hatched among the citizens and against the Pakistanis may unfortunately trigger more unrest within the country than ever. There are witnesses of the growing intolerance in the country under this rule. People may run after each other’s life within the country with a just single step of War just like during the Babri-Gujarat riots. I urge you to not initiate it! War can never be winning even for the winner. I like to remind you that we are not a war driven economy. So trumpeting and thumping about war activities is pushing the country in undesired direction. Unfortunately, young jawans are sacrificed in the process of satisfying the army and political egos. Neither the Chiefs go to the battle field nor do the siblings of the politicians. Why can’t we use the army in building social-physical infrastructure (like the BSF) of the country with urgency like warfront?

Implementation of Cashless Economy

This later added D-narrative has finally come as a savior to justify Demonetization. Thankfully, the cashless narrative was further amended as less cash. Decreasing cash transaction and increasing digital transaction is certainly a way to reduce corruption. But, thinking of going full cashless and digital that too overnight reflects your ignorance (or pretention) about the country where more than half the population works with cash and many still to be digi-educated. Even large economies like America/ China (no country for that matter) neither fully cashless nor they are free from corruption. Around 50-50% transactions are with cash n digital in America/ China. Even if digital is wished for, let the government activities go full cashless-n-digital as a pilot exercise. Why still the e-governance in practice could curb corruption from the government functioning? I’ll tell you why, changing mobile n computers doesn't change the mind-set. Unless implementation of the existing rules is pushed, business as usual is here to stay in the government.

Pushing the citizens to buy smart phones and even promote to subscribe to Jio (now Bhim). Ironically, it is expected from them to be digi-efficient overnight (in fifty days). There should have been free training for the poor and uneducated for digital life prior to the D-launch or even in the fifty days instead of sops on digital transactions now. So, on the one hand poor queued at the banks for their legitimate money; the middle class and the elites did hardly visit the bank. In the two visits to the bank in fifty days, I had to literally scream unpleasantly to acquire the then allowed withdrawal of 24K a week. In addition, the minds of several poor were corrupted. Several Jan Dhan accounts opened were used to launder the black money and several of that have political connections. On the other hand, in no time, the Paytm and alike digital businesses grew by hundreds of times. Though you promote Make in India, the Paytm that is majorly owned by Chinese company Alibaba was promoted. The commission in the transactions through such sites is a kind of fraudulent work? In addition, the sops (awards n rewards) for digital transaction like this discount for that, this promo, that offer, that lucky draw, lottery, etc. sounds cheap and a way of demonizing the minds of people towards consumerism. I fear that people becoming consumerists and living in debts like the Americans. This is one of the disastrous implications of the idea of going full cashless/ digital. For modernization, going digital alone isn’t enough for especially in a country where several orthodox traditions prevail with a patriarchal legacy. A social reconstruction is crucial. Anyway, leaving that argument aside, why aren’t the banking apps promoted that has no hidden cost or commission and are secure too? Importantly, why was the BHIM not introduced prior to the D-declaration as a preparation? BHIM is certainly a last minute addition after either realizing the D-commerce from it or for retrieval from the D-failure. The banks should have been used for training for BHIM-ization.

I hope that demonetization doesn’t lead to credit sops for loans else the system will push us all to live in debts forever. Increasing the credit ridden lifestyle must not be encouraged in our culture especially looking at its social economic failure across the world for example the great recession of America. Moreover, banks providing credits for home/car doesn’t really do any good to the really needy except increasing the consumerism of those already possessing besides providing them way to escape income tax. How can a poor person buy home/car if they do not have a repayment capacity? Labor reforms are needed prior and more than credit reforms. Credit history certainly doesn’t guarantee the removal of root causes of corruption and poverty.

If digit(Bhim)ization is linked to modernization, I desist from its interpretation. The movement for full digitization will breed new generation of idiots doing either nothing or sitting with ideas. The D-notion will stone the rising belief (especially among the youth) that all the solutions lie in the mobile apps and that one is not required to DO. And many (like me) busy in digital world are usually looking for short cuts to success and are distanced from the reality (joys of social life, engaging with nature, fitness, spirituality). Full digitization will breed more depressed and inhuman being. Einstein had already feared a fully Digitized world to be a world of Fools. Please! Modernization is more than Facebook, Wats app, Digital Banking. Modernization of minds is a prerequisite to fight the social evils we nurture, let alone Men be Men first! Please provide me insights how demonetization can curb sex ratio, child abuse, domestic violence, and ensure women-child-senior citizens their rights?  

In all situations, full digital is too much of infringement into one’s privacy. Why should a government (now even banks) know what/where/how did I eat/wear/sleep today/yesterday? Being a citizen of a free country, it is our right to do whatever/however with our earnings as long as within the boundaries of the law including tax. Giving permission to the government to question on everyday life unless engaged in corruption and terrorism is invasion on one’s freedom.

DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS

The disasters that are immediately obvious from demonetization is that it has Demonized the Citizens as well as Demeanized the Cash.

Demonizing the Citizens

The demonetization has demonized the imagination of the many into further corrupt practises. The intelligence of the people in corrupt practices is either misjudged or is mysteriously internalised as in one last time to start afresh after the fifty days. Happy (to be Clean from) New Year! In both cases, you may win the game for the time being by institutionalising the corruption especially if they provide political gains. The process has certainly raised the black transactions and increased the number of launderers (like me). While, some people queued at the banks to salvage their savings, many made business with the banks’ cash leak. While several poor lost their employment in the cash less situations, many used their accounts for the very rich who they wish to get punished. Unfortunately, black cash was more easily available in the market than in the banks as the bankers played fouls left, right and center.

With large number of (Jan Dhan) accounts opened, used for transactions especially hoarding, it is no surprise if the government merely looking at the figures arrives to a conclusion that it succeeded to remove poverty (on paper) from the country. It is your government only that meanly declared the Below Poverty Line of 11 n 17 INR not too far ago in order to correct the poverty stats. It seems that reducing poverty was interpreted as removing the poor from the mainstream (transactions) and pushing them to die like in America. Out of sight, out of mind!

Now with most of the estimated (black-whitened) money sitting into the banks, there are few things that come out. The so called ‘black money’ is over and above the estimated value. So either the financial estimations are incorrect or the economic justifications are poorly dictated. In addition, it brings out a dilemma where,

-     either everyone is clean since all the transactions so far projected legitimate (money is white): then demonetization was a futile exercise in the first place.  It also brings the political argument that actually citizen did fairly good including the poor in the so called Boorey Din of the past seventy years. You blew the trumpet way too much about the Boorey Din and caught people’s imagination that they were doomed then. And now if you say that Achchey Din is brought in two years, it is no different than thumping chest with ‘Aall Izz Well, Aall Izz Well’!

-     or everyone is party (internalized) to corruption since all transactions are maliciously legitimized. Legitimizing the corruption doesn’t leave anyone untouched from it and so corruption is over (actually not so bad anymore) with Happy New Year. 

Deaminizing the Cash

The demonetization has demeanized the value of the demonetized, remonetized as well as the existing legal tenders. I understand the percentage of cash must be reduced from the current 23% floating in the country. I also understand the Less Cash (not cashless) transaction and therefore more digital is useful in the long run. However, its imposition overnight and with an introduction of 2000 against 500-1000 is highly questionable. If it was to go less cash in such large economies that is largely driven by cash at everyday level, it should have been more sensitive and wiser to remonetize with lower denomination currency such as 200 besides alongside tax reforms and over a period of time say until your term. I want to bring to your notice the demonetization of Hyderabad currency post its merger with India. The remonetization with 2000 (for printing ease) seems like a decision made in haste followed by poorly implement remonetization of 500 (few and wrong and late). Besides, it looks that more 100s were not printed during this process. The introduction of 2000 leads to a simple logic that now few will have cash than many unlike past so the hoarding is made easier but limited to the select. Ironically, with cash deficient despite lot of 2000 available disrupted the everyday life of the large number of cash led businesses and citizens.

I returned to Ahmedabad for two weeks and practically I could not use A 2000 note in two weeks for regular purchases. My domestic help declined salary in 2000s fearing difficulty in purchases of goods on daily basis with it due to lack of cash-return. Others like auto wala, rashion wala, sabji wala, dhobi, mocha, dhoodhwala, also refused transaction in 2000 for any purchase of 100 plus minus. Ironically, we turned to the traditional barter system that is one advantage I could see so far from D-affect so far. Please be reminded that such professionals do not require large purchases worth 2000 on regular basis. For some, it is even their monthly income. What are they supposed to do with a One 2000 currency? Unfortunately most (especially women) of them neither possess plastic cards nor are digital savvy even if some have mobiles (they know only to receive a call. Even my mother and mother in law only know to receive a call). And, those (like me) making purchases worth around 2000 on regular basis are already equipped with cards and e-options. So practically the 2000 is not required by the both middle and poor working class except the rich for whom hoarding is made easy. Please note that there is already a rumour floating that 2000 may be further demonetized as it is a makeshift policy of the government. Besides hoarding of 100 is also happening leading to its shortage and increased value. Therefore, the value of both 2000 and 100 have deviated from its true value. In addition, how does it ensure that the 2000 will not be used as the ‘black money’ as there will be always demand for cash, in fact the demand for cash has increased and may rise further in the near future given the shortage of it. Thus, the D-exercise looks like: the New Pink is the Old Black!

The emergency situation created in the process will reflect in the Inflation, GDP, HDI, etc. etc. of this year and some more years until we recover. In addition, wow with most of the estimated money sitting on the RBI’s chest, the RBI lost an opportunity of liquidating the deficit. Leaving the macroeconomics aside, wondering first whether ensuring all estimated money into the banks ensures that the money will be whitened for use? Second, does it also ensure that the resources are fully at the discretion of the government for use in the so called development^$#* of Smart and Shining India? I guess, No! Since money to a private bank is just like money to a private sector. So, you may have asked us to directly give the money to them for their business loans and expansions. Besides, you are not eligible to use our money in ABC sector without our consent (even constitutionally approved policy n projects). Therefore, neither the black money on the RBI’s chest nor the pink money in the people’s pocket does ensure any better for the government initiatives. Third, does the increase in exchequer of the central as well as local governments ensure that, initiatives will be taken in the right direction? I guess No! since that could have been done even without demonetization. Since government was never short of funds but were short of ideas. Looking at the dictatorial governing ideas, it is doubtful that we’ll be able to resist your decisions to give more credits to adnai/ambani, build patel/shivaji statues, go for war with Pakistan/Bangladesh and sadly push us to live in debts. And even if the initiatives are taken in the social and physical infrastructure (sorry, but you completely ignore the environment in the name of development) sectors, it doesn’t ensure that the genuine doers and ideas will be invited to do quality work as long as the Lowest Tender and favoritism prevail as legitimized form of corruption. It was surprising to that your D-speeches avoided the mention of D-investment. No mention of how the money will be exercised to improve primary education, primary healthcare, ecology, girl/women issues, and even Swachch Bharat. It will be upsetting if the D-money is used more for war and politics and less for them. I’d have appreciated if the government had pushed us to directly partner in working on such initiatives to get the tax benefits ofcourse. The scheme already exists and required convincing implementation.

If the intentions instinct, implementations were genuine about eradicating (rather reducing) corruption, you should have worked on the various tax reforms over your tenure. You should have raised incentives along with the array of disincentives to bring out the so called ‘black money’. I want to remind you that you are not the first leader fighting the black money. There was no harm looking at the past initiatives and modify them since whether you agree or not, some of them have worked substantially. And if you are genuinely interested in an egalitarian society, you should have worked on the labor policy reforms to bring the profession of the poor to a reasonable income bracket, pardoned the poor farmers’ loan, introduce social security to the poor. It seems like Robinhood-like action to loot some section of the society to distribute among the other. Ironically, the latter is less likely to happen except the few perks and jerks to silence and woo the vote bank.

In resisting the Nehruvian approach, your ideas became endemic to its very governing approach. You were hell bound to re-invent the wheel rather than giving speed to the running vehicle (economy). It is a poor analysis that we did so bad in the seventy years as you trumpet for political gains. Indeed corruption is the side-effect in the process that must be curbed. Demonetization was certainly not the solution. Therefore, in this process, you also demonized yourself as a dictator and dumb ruler besides bringing doubts among many of us whether you understand economics; feel for this vast and diverse country; and whether you stand eligible to govern it with socioeconomic sensibility.

American Saga in D-narratives

Mr. Prime Minister, I find the D-narratives to counter corruption and terrorism and for cashless (now changed to digital) economy to be influenced heavily by America. I’m tempted to link the D-narratives with the obsession of America after traveling there five times in the past less than three years. The American influence went to the extent of even printing the 2000 in American style, and now encouraging people to increase the credit history (basically take more loans and live in debts). I want to bring to your notice that all that glitters in America is not due to digitization. They had better social-physical infrastructure before the digitization. Why didn’t you aim for building such infrastructure first? And if I had my history lessons right, the digital invasion into the banking and government functioning helped America reach the economic crisis in the last decade and the government faced the WikiLeaks. I’d sincerely desire for a WikiLeaks on the demonetization at the soonest possible. I want to also bring to your notice that many international governance experts have found America to be the genesis of several large scale corruptions in the world, just like they are crucial in creating war around the world in the desire for consuming resources from the other countries. Is this a spree to save America’s war economy after all, America has promised (again) to support India in their latest defense bill.

The urban lifestyle certainly reflects moving towards Americanization but the rural living is thankfully not fully Americanized though there is a persisting threat about it. I’m in favor of modernization, but if modernization is all about technological advancement, then America would not be harboring the world’s most criminals and most depressed people; going for war with others to acquire other countries’ resources and then promoting peace; importing food from everywhere since not producing enough in the name of development; engaging in unsustainable lifestyle and then talking about sustainability and climate change; so discriminating and then talking about integration; and removing the poor in the name of poverty removal; and etc. Only good part of America (for Indians) is that they harbor several Indians (and international) in all the fields of specialization for their advancement impacting negatively to India in brain drain. I fail to realize how the vision of modernization enables creating healthy work environment for professionals to grow and contribute since corrupt and manipulative practices are hard to go in fifty days. It will certainly increase the discriminating behavior of the society. So now we will have a new discrimination apart from caste-n-class: corruption. It’ll be pity if America-like is our vision for development leaving behind our rich cultural heritage. We are not American and we should not aim for it! Wasn’t Hindutva one of the agendas in the 2014 election? Now it seems a rush to put an American coat on every Bhartiya?

Desistance from Demonetization

Mr. Prime Minister, remaining unopposed to the idea of demonetization, I’d disagree to its overnight implementation as a Shock Therapy. Its launch without the ground preparation, it seems foolishness. In keeping the spirit of winning over corruption, the D-process went on to demonize the citizens and demeanize the currency and further remonetized to reinstate the business as usual from a Achche Din after fifty days. So, by far the worst D-implication is: Corruption Institutionalized! As in the New Year speech, your claim “Its final and I win!“ sounded like all are paroled from corruption from here with a promise to behave uncorrupt. How naïve is that?

Mr. Prime Minister, the D-silence in the country is pretended as submission and supportive to your ideas. The acceptance is certainly not an agreement. If many are not resisting demonetization, they are not lauding it either. I couldn’t find individuals lauding demonetization in person barring the few digital acquaintances (facebook, twitter, wats app etc.). Our political tolerance unfortunately is too high. So you may enjoy many more of the D-doings just like the follow up fifty plus rule changes in the fifty days and still continue thumping that there is no D-resistance. First of all, it took a while to people to realize what has happened and then to decode the steps to avoid losses. The poor will not resist as they are not equipped to do so politically. In addition, you caught their imagination (of the Robin Hood style) that you will be able to get the money from the rich and provide a share of it to them. It makes a sense why the poor helped the very people who they wish to be punished. They are not equipped to analyze how this is going/not going to happen. What the poor is also unable to realize is that until now their income was undisclosed and they exercised a privilege to get several benefits. They are also unable to realize that they have to let go many of their poverty ridden privileges after they come into the banking system. This is certainly appreciative for the aggregated economy but may not beneficial at their individual level. The middle class will not resist since most fear the demonization of character as being corrupt/antinational. Albeit the middle class is affected but is the most unorganized to come together to resist. Important to mention the hypocrisy and intelligence prevail here to handle such situations. The elites (barring the few that are caught) literally had no issues dealing with it. Ironically, those exposed are only labelled as corrupts and anti-nationals and those escaped now get a certificate of un-corrupt and nationalist. The youth comprising of a large population fall primarily in the categories that have least motivation to resist: a section is suffocated with luxuries from parents and have nothing to lose (their parents are at stake!); another section is busy settling their early career and have lesser time and interest; and the remaining are struggling for admissions and employments and are busy finding their feet in the society before bothering about the government and politics. Many do realize that decisions taken today will affect their future. However, they too are caught in the imagination (with their weak analytical ability to realize the consequences) about the promise of a cashless economy and digital India. Moreover, the youth that could have raised a voice are brought up to be more American than Indian. The senior citizens had no interest in opposing as they are mature enough to realize that this is another ‘business as usual’ from a highly politicized leader. Few do support the idea being veterans and upset with the current system but may be reminded that they helped reach the inundation of corruption in their working past. Besides most oldies are disinterested to rise and run all over again, barring people like Annaji. Then there are the NRI Indians many (working) of whom think this is a good time to cleanse India left, right and center since they already consider the Indians to be corrupt (just like you mentioned in the New Year speech) and console themselves with the reason of being abroad and the remaining (students) think like the youth in India that digital India has solutions for all the problems. They pretend not to realize that a muddy pond requires getting into it for cleaning, an app or website can't do so, for that matter swachchta has to begin from home and surrounding. The FDI-er as well as the taxpayer are waiting with a hope that now they dont need to work on swachchta, the government will do it. 

So, if all the above are not speaking, it shouldn’t be considered as the proponent of the idea. And then there are those who are arguing about it, are labelled corrupt, anti-national and even Pakistan-like. Then there is an additional matter of suspicion about each other as who is cleansed (sarcasm) in this D-process. Sadly, people demonize me of my questions and I demonize them for their deeds. I think, they are silent since they did some hawala, and they think I do noise since I’ve encountered heavy losses for hoarding black money. Unfortunately, the disbelief among each other has risen way too high which has been awarded with the dose of email to report about others (not that the idea did not exist before, but was not trumpeted as now). Certainly, demonetizing is demonizing our imagination. Unfortunately, political parties know the ‘divide n rule’ mantra very well.

Undoubtedly, you understand the strength of the media and have exercised it fully to your benefit. The malicious media game against every opposition played a crucial role in your rise and now in the rule. It is likely that the media is warned (sabotaged) for not covering the ground realities of the D-effect and just showcase the positive D-effect, just like it happened during the Hardik Patel uprising. This is understandable with your bitter experience of media during the Gujarat riots that brought a lot of defamation. From thereon, handling of the media to revamp your image to a national hero and to almost a demigod of India is certainly remarkable.

IDentity through Demonetization

Mr. Prime Minister, you understand the emotions of the citizens and exploit it well too. You play well the vulnerability card poor past and speak colloquially to connect. In addition, with the media boosting and successful effort to raise the party funds for the elections, there is no doubt that you’ll reinstate your position in the 2019 election. Despite the D-havoc created, be assured to be brought back to power by the same 31% who (like me) voted you to PM-ship in 2014. Chetan Bhagat rightly points out that people may weigh the intention, initiative and ideas of the D-factor, as you’ve rightly sown the seeds of them in the minds of the people to fetch high scores. No matter if the economic implications may be largely negative; people are less likely to care about the economy in expressing their political preferences. However, do keep in mind that 69% who did not vote for you. This is a larger section of People (like me) who may have already feared your dictatorship and doubted your limited vision (of party politics) for the country. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve experienced the in-n-out of Red-Tapism on a regular basis in the so called model city and state of Ahmedabad and Gujarat. Infact a negative publicity (like this) is also likely to work in your favor. In addition, the poor and sabotaged opposition with short of bold ideas will work in your favor. Looking at the ruling history globally and your background, the rush for records is understandable. But please give some time, the Time (2016 lost to Trump), Guinness (for max countries visited and now for max policy U-turns during a tenure), UN, Nobel will all come your way,.… hopefully except the Sainthood!

I wonder if you made categorical distinction between finance and economics; growth and development; politics and government; and government and governance. Even regarding distinction and interrelation between black money and cash, I like to remind you that ‘All cash is not Black money and All Black Money is not in Cash’ (P Chidabaram). Corruption unfortunately is an inevitable collective behavior in a rising economy like ours not that I support it. It was rightly said by Annaji few months ago that, “UPA graduated in corruption and NDA has a PhD now”. In the rush for development, the human-social-cultural growth cannot be compromised such as demonizing us towards more corrupt practices is way too far a negative impact of this process. Besides, wanting to reform it overnight with a stick alongside petty carrots, show the meanness of your distrustful understanding of the intelligence and rationality of the fellow citizens. It is likely that you may have realized (or aimed for) that the D-process will increase the corrupt practices.

You started the Good Governance Day competing the very Christmas and conveniently escaped its mention by discussing Cricket for half the time this Christmas. I wonder if you made categorical distinction between, ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ when you said so. Is it just because advisors like PK suggested so or Do you really mean it? Since, the former is strongly evident and the latter is weak in your administration approach right since Gujarat time. Governance is all about Polycentricism (The Ostroms). Government does play crucial role in governance, but governance is more than any government. Governance is certainly not mono (individual) centric as reflected in your work. I know few genuinely wanting to eradicate corruption desired for a radical decision to change situation overnight and win the evils. Unfortunately, the country (our lives) is not a chess board to play to win also since winning the next game is unguaranteed and there is no way to undo the actions in the next game. With demonetization, things have gone overboard about what a government/leader should/must do. Beside the D-declaration being most a-governmental, the day a government (in this case a person) thinks and dictates that it knows how the people must live without listening to them, the governance is killed. Governance is beyond Monogamy to one party politics and ideology. At that position, you are expected to rise above such fidelity else it is no different than any kind of extremism or terrorism.

I now understand better why it is important that leaders obtaining such post must be educated and enlightened about finance- economics; growth-development; politics-government; and government-governance. India has produced some well-known economists and political scientists. I wish you had spent some time with them (even with party men who can think beyond nodding at you) discussing the instinct, intention, implementation and implications of demonetization. Anticipating that they may not have appreciated its unpreparedness, they were conveniently bypassed just like it was done with Raghuram Rajan. Several economists and political scientists have criticized the instinct, intention, and implementation, probably fearing the scale of negative implications.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Mr. Prime Minister, sorry to have addressed the letter to you and not to the government. This is one of the most undemocratic decisions in the history of independent India and the onus is on you since you self-authorised to be The Government. This Merry Christmas neither brought Good Governance nor did you leave us with a Happy New Year! You are responsible for the following related to the very D-narratives:

-       Demonizing self and others to protect thy nationalism.

-       Institutionalizing corruption in the country;

-       Putting the economy of the country into jeopardy;

-       Raging war-like situation out of a peace loving country;

-       Increasing consumeristic behavior among us with digital economy;

-       Alleging the questioners as corrupt and anti-nationals.

-       Spreading animosity and terror in the country.

-       Facilitate siphoning the money into the political parties.

You are responsible for a surgery that was not needed on a healthy economy. In the absence of sound justifications on the Economics of Demonetization, such hurried action directs primary to a political vendetta at the cost of the citizens. The manner of imposition besides the suppression of free speech n debate on it exemplifies Maximum Government and Minimum Governance. Ironically, you continue to shock the citizens with new rules and with petty rewards. At an individual level, questioning it is demonizing the very Being as corrupt, anti-national and Pakistani.

It is likely that several readers (including my acquaintances) imagine me to be under shock with heavy losses in demonetization and may either disgrace me or empathize for my loss and shock. I’m not embarrassed to share that I’m both cash n card sufficient and least D-affected, just like most of them. And if you go out on a genuine hunting of the nationalist, least uncorrupt, sufficiently digitised and modern thinking, you are likely to find me and many others. And still I’m upset with the demonetization! For how One Man goes on and on dictatorially, undemocratically, unconstitutionally without getting stopped. It is also likely that I’m harmed by the system some way or the other after this letter. If that happens, it will definitely stone my views about the current politics and government and will kill my pro-government beliefs. For arguing against the D-decision, my nationalism is not only questioned, it is likely to be killed in the process.

Finally, I urge you take the responsibility for this economic devastation and this emergency out of a peaceful situation. You had promised (thumping) of Achche Din after fifty days else you are subject to punishment. Achche Din clearly has not arrived and will not arrive in this fiscal year and for a while. I also urge you to please maintain the dignity of the position in your speech. Please do not treat the podium for national address as a stage for election campaign.                                  

 Jai Hind!

Mansee