The whole country is trapped
into the demonetization debate.
For its proponents, it is
discourse. For its opponents, it is an illegitimate force.
Like always, there are many
who are caught in the grey zone.
The trial and error juggernaut
is marching ahead and it has been a mixed report for the government so far - in
giving people their hard-earned money - in new notes and in old notes.
And this trial and error
nature of it has given the political opposition a golden chance to score some
brownie political (and electoral points in the season of state assembly
elections) points by trying to corner the government. For them it is an illegitimate
force and they have left no stone unturned in spreading this notion.
And what about people -
commoners like you and me?
Well, either they don't
matter or if the systems looks taking care of them, it is like it is extending
some sort of favour.
It is said that the common
man is the basic entity of a democracy and the processes of a democratic nation
should revolve around him.
But we live in the times and
in a society where the common folks - people like you and me - are only given
some value or hearing when either there is a massive civil agitation like
Vinoba Bhave or Lohia or JP or Anna Hazare could do or when there is some court
pressure - as we see from time to time - in enacting pro people laws - in
interpreting the existing laws to prevent their misuse - even in bringing
erring elitist people or organizations in line - like we are witnessing in the
BCCI case.
There are many who are
complaining. There are many who are resolutely supporting it. They are commoners
like you and me. Like always, they must not be duped by our political
establishment because they are supporting this demonetization drive in spite of
massive inconvenience it is causing - hoping there will be fundamental changes
to their lives after it - once the things start settling down.
And stakes involved here are
enormously high - specially after reports of many deaths in bank/ATM queues.
The government needs to
answer them - and to them who are complaining - because they own it - and they own
the processes on every stage. If they are compromising, the government must also
compromise to become sensitive to them.
Demonetization must not end up like just yet another issue to play politics. As the government has promised, it
must do the promised cash clean-up to filter out Black Money from our lives.
Cartoon: Ragini Chaubey
©SantoshChaubey