Musings 68: My First Hour into Demonitisation 😀

It was 7.35 pm on November 8. Fresh after a shower, I was ready for the day’s newstainment. I tuned into Times Now and was surprised to see Prime Minister Modi instead of Arnab. “Since when did a lion start intruding another’s territory?” I was amused.

PM with a serious face was detailing the hardships that common man face because of black economy. I was checking my FB newsfeed simultaneously. One of my CA friends, who was also watching live, has updated his status- “Is PM hinting at scrapping Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes?” Wow! I was really excited. I listened to the rest of the speech with rapt attention. And Lo!…. there it is! PM has announced the demonitisation of higher denomination currencies from midnight… tonight!

I reached for my wallet lying at the other end of the dining table totally unaware of the big bang reform which is about to hit it in another 4 hours 15 minutes. Felt really sorry for it. How much its gonna miss its friends- 500 and 1000 notes. (Not that it has many friends in that social class). I counted the cash. Rs.573.. in 100s, 10s and 1s. Phew!

The PM has concluded his speech and the “wise” have started their dissection. FB is exploding with congratulatory messages to PM for his macho ‘Kabali’ move. My excitement peaked. I came out with my own set of “cool” updates. Of course it was an instant hit. Got 303 likes, 52 comments and 21 shares, u c?!

I wanted to share my insights on the move with someone. No, FB status message and comments aren’t enough. I need to speak, articulate in sound. Sumithra isn’t home. She is outstation with office work. Not that she will be excited the way I am. “You and your Modi….,” she will say. But she sure would give a patient hearing.
I made a call to amma. She is a bank employee. She sure has a perspective on this. Let me hear her out. “All lines in this route are busy. Call after sometime,” was what our trusted BSNL told. Okay.

Amma called back after 10 minutes. “Did you hear the news? Do you have enough cash? Run to your nearest ATM…. NOW.” She said that in one breath. The last word was almost a scream. I felt irritated. What’s she talking about? Here we have our PM conducted the greatest, boldest, surgical strike since independence and instead of rejoicing we speak of such trivial issues?! I asked her what she thought about the move. She said she back it in full. That soothed my ears and I forgave her for that initial prattle. “You might have to go through some inconveniences in next few weeks. But I am sure you will bear it all for the national good,” I adviced. She understood that I was running hyper, so calmed me down, and said she will call later.

I continued facebooking and whatsapping while waiting impatiently for Arnab’s darshan in News Hour.

😀 😀 😀
—
Srinath Mohandas
November 19, 2016

Musings 67: Birth Pangs- A New World Order

What we see from India to Brexit to America is not the rise of a global right. But it is the fall of the liberals (elitists) to the movements (or leaders) that understand and acknowledge the reality of our times and inspire hope and action in the masses.

There is no global right camp. But there is a united global liberal (elitists) club which tries to make people “understand what is good for them” and let people choose their members as the cultural and political heads of the states.

Did you notice that there is nothing common between a cultural nationalist Narendra Modi and a racist and misogynistic Donald Trump, except that both of them royally trumped an arrogant, sanctimonious and politically correct liberal establishment? On the other hand look at umpteen similarities between a Hillary Clinton establishment and Lutyens’ Delhi. They match brick to brick. Their edifice is the same, their build up similar, designs exact!

Once upon a time the socialists and the communists represented the realities and aspirations of common man. It was a peoples’ movement. But at the turn of the last century the liberals (elitists) hijacked it, digested it. The movement that was born and nurtured to unseat the liberals (elitists) from the centres of cultutal and political power got itself tamed and domesticated in the hands of their opponents. Thus left liberalism was born.

Left stopped representing people long back, and there is no right that the people can look upto. Therefore all anti establishment movements find support of the people. This is the explanation for what we see around. Some of these have substance, others just fad of times. But one thing is for sure- these are the birth pangs of a new world order!

—

Srinath Mohandas

November 10, 2016