Yes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have won himself enough mileage to get re-elected in the next Lok Sabha elections with this strategically-timed attack on black money. Demonetisation (a misnomer really, considering no currency is going out of commission in the long run), has been a "game-changer".
While a lot of people are cheering the move and calling it genius, there are some who are raising the tough questions that politicians and the general privileged middle classes/upper middle classes are turning a deaf ear to. Did Modi just completely ignore just how much harm, a couple of days without functioning banks and ATMs and two major currency denominations, can cause to the poor?
Class and caste privileges, of course, have blinded generations after generations in this country and this is hardly surprising. The "greater good" argument is only made by those for whom this exercise is a minor inconvenience. One has to take off their rose-tinted glasses to notice that having less cash in your wallet, for a “couple of days”, does not mean less coffee from Starbucks or taking an auto rather than an Ola. For a huge section of our society, whose daily wages mean everything to them, who save up tiny amounts of money for years and years, when you ban the use of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000, you pretty much kick them in the gut, face and the groin at the same time.
From sex workers, to domestic abuse survivors, a lot of people lives were disrupted by Modi Ji’s surgical strike on black money. [Photo: Indiatoday.in] |
A story about such an incident came to the notice of people, in the form of a Twitter thread. Yes. Twitter is hardly the place for sensible discourse, but this wasn’t discourse. This was just a sad tale being narrated, 140 characters at a time.
Tejaswini Joshi told the story of her sister, who lives in Satara, Maharashtra. A tier-3 town agricultural town, Satara’s population of 5 lakhs was badly wounded with the demonetsation move.
Nov 10morning 11 a.m.location – Satara. Third tier city.located along NH4. Population 5 lac. Source of income – mostly agricultural+
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
My sister’s 2 month old baby fell sick. Needed urgent treatment. Hospital fees? 800/-The whole family has 200/- cash amongst us.
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
The hospital does not accept card/ chequeBaby is crying non-stop since 5 am.
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
There 100 patients, babies, old people.. they have traveled 40-50km to get the treatment with the money carefully put aside for rainy day.
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
Not that the hospital is unwilling, they are just helpless as to how to handle the situation.They have no change to give back
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
I get away with my work done, what is it of my concern if those poor sorry people die? What can I do for them anyways?
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
Banks reopened yesterday. They too had really no money to disburse. We are after all a small town . we get our piece of cake after the city
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
Nov 11The streets r deserted. We have no money to pay the autos. Today banks r disbursing 1k . that is the only way they can make cash last
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
No vendors selling vegetables on the street. No fruit sellers.Even chai ki tapri is shut.I bought the meds for the baby on credit
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
to be honest - credit facilitated by tears in eyes + a hint of cleavage (i am wicked i know. but desperate)
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
me earned Rs 75/- after 3 days on credit . (he did not show cleavage but one good turn deserves another)
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
one neighbour - A woman has 16000 put aside from her abusive husband. An uneducated villager. No bank account. Money- handed over to husband
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
I talk of this because to the people around me, this is no "mere inconvenience". It’s a question of life or death.
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
but why should it concern me? i am merely inconvinced. if the things do not improve tomorrow, i can order domino's pizza on credit card
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
so, to me, its an adventure and a reminder that i need many more credit cards than i can afford
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
but i would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr modi. Today I know what it means to be poor.
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
and i also thank him for making me realise the extent to which i can go to save my baby.
— Tejaswini (@tejujoshi31) November 11, 2016
It’s really easy for nationalist Modi fanboys to troll questioners and provide excuses - like “why didn’t they get their Aadhar Cards made when the government was launching registration drives?”; or, “why can’t they get their bank accounts opened, it’s so damn simple?” - to forget that neither are a majority of people educated or informed enough to do that, and nor do they often have the luxury to make a choice of that kind.
It is this arrogant privilege and blind hatred for anyone who questions the government’s initiatives that prevents them from seeing that intersectional oppression has prevented several strata of the society to make choices as “simple” as these.
From sex workers, to domestic abuse survivors, to runaway children, there are a lot of people whose lives were disrupted by Modi ji’s "surgical strike on black money". Those who were supposed to be actually affected by this attack, seemed to be conveniently informed about this well in advance. Whether it was through backchannels, or just an ability to connect financial dots, a lot of powerful idividuals were able to dispose off their incriminatory black money before Modi launched his attack. Isn't that beautiful?
Yeah. It is for the greater good. But you only get to say that when you understand what one has to pay for this supposed greater good.