Demonetisation is a huge success
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big ticket demonetisation drive is a huge success. Ignore the naysayers, they have an agenda. To oppose is the Opposition's job. The word success is defined as the accomplishment of an objective.
If one goes by the stated objectives - removing black money from the system, eliminating funding for terrorist activities and other random RBI announcements - then, of course, one could call it a failure as former PM Manmohan Singh did. If Dr Singh knew his politics as well as he knows his economics, he would have known that stated objectives are for the simple-minded. It's the intended objectives that count. Primarily three:
1. To dig out unaccounted money so that the government knows where the dough is.
2. Reassure the electorate that the government is not going anywhere and will protect her from evil.
3. Appropriate more power for itself, reclaim territory it surrendered over time and be stronger than ever.
Surgical strike on black money
All countries have a parallel economy running on black money. In India, the parallel economy ran on white money as well. But only the privileged were part of this grey economy. Regular people were part of the regular economy. Over the years, with prosperity, a lot of ordinary citizens went over to the dark side.
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| The daily raids and seizures are a way to let everyone know that the government knows. It's more powerful than ever. Credit: PTI |
Doctors, engineers, small businessmen, bullion traders, bureaucrats, stock brokers, real estate thugs, all joined the bandwagon, to avoid paying taxes. What was till recently an elite club run by politicians, became the average middle class playground. The government was gradually reduced to being a mere spectator.
A government has to be the doer, not someone sitting around watching, especially if it has to run the world's largest democracy. Democracy needs regular elections. The average politician spends 100 times more on his daughter's wedding than what the Election Commission allows him for campaigning.
Buying the silence of the electorate for a five-year period is an expensive affair. Hence, the need for cash, a lot of it, all unaccounted because the Election Commission checks the accounts. Where do you think that comes from? Trees?
You run a legal operation, you pay the government its share because it makes laws to extract its lawful share. It's called tax and politicians can swindle only part of it. Part of it is spent in running the country. Politics needs much more than that, so it allows a network of unlawful enterprises, which give politics its unlawful share.
Politics helps run the illegal establishment, this establishment helps run politics. This will have to continue if the democratic system in its current form has to function. Therefore, the process of turning the pink notes into black money is already running full-steam. Soon there will be enough black money for the parallel economy to return to normalcy. But there will be no hidden black money, for now.
The daily raids and seizures are a way to let everyone know that the government knows. People are scared and uncertain. The government is armed with information and more powerful than ever.
Some experts have calculated that the government couldn't foresee the fallout. The government has an army of experts and a lot more information than what is public.
They have your iris, fingerprint, bank details, purchases and travel history. The government not only knew it will be painful, it told you so. Still it went ahead because nobody would dare doubt the intent. Not even Rahul Gandhi. Big success.
Government is the saviour
The single reason we vote in large numbers in elections is to install our favourite people in high places so that they can watch over us, take care of our dreams and aspirations. Trust the collective wisdom of the people, who placed their trust in the strong by replacing the weak who ruled for a decade.
Two-and-a-half years on, just when this trust was waning, the flash of a spine! A surgical strike inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Soon followed by the November 8 strike on black money. Finally, some action, you said.
Along came the pain. Wisdom promises great pleasure to those who bear the pain, with a smile. People willingly queued up to go through this pain, for their own good. For prime minister Modi, it was a risk worth taking.
For the people, it was a suffering worth suffering. All differences dissolved as India united to defeat the enemy: black money. Defeating an enemy is a thing of joy.
You have to see the expression of triumph on the face of the man who got one pink note after three hours in the queue. Victory makes the bitter sweet and obliterates all pain. This crisis shall pass, but the memories of how we defeated it will stay with us, with that uplifting feeling: the government did something. Unlike the previous ones that did nothing worth remembering. Public memory is notoriously short.
Heroes or villains, doers make memories. Scars of a war are proof of victory. PM Modi is with us, we are with PM Modi as we are at war with the evil banker, the corrupt system, the greedy jeweller, the notorious hawala operator, and all the supporters of black money who together tried to sabotage this effort.
The mismanagement may be monumental but the intent was noble. Nobody doubts that, not even Rahul Gandhi. Big success, again!
And by the way, who's cracking down on these new black money mafia? Who's striking the dagger of fear into the cold hearts of the hoarders? The strong government we elected 2.5 years ago.
Strong, stronger, strongest
Strengthening it further and arming it with new powers is the most significant objective. Would you like your government weak and inefficient? If your answer is no, then you already know that minimum government is a feel-good phrase.
The cat minimises only to deceive the mouse. The lion never told the jungle he would reduce himself minimum if elected king. What kind of childish delusion is this idea of minimum government?
The whole purpose of existence of any living being is to make itself larger, stronger and faster. The government naturally wants to expand its powers and perpetuate itself. To serve people, of course. Alas, over the years, some monumental figures watched as the powers of the government gradually eroded as real power lied in another building. Education and liberalisation have done their share of the damage.
The so-called Inspector Raj was dying a slow death. The long arm of the law was losing muscle because of this new culture of people armed with internet-enabled devices citing the law, demanding more rights, confronting and questioning the government's rights. Muscles wither away if not exercised regularly.
Hence the exercise of this size. Almost 85 per cent of all money gone in a puff. You are significantly disempowered overnight and suddenly aware of the truth that the government can take away your freedom whenever it chooses. You are at the mercy of the bank clerk who till yesterday begged you to buy a fixed deposit scheme.
Today, you beg him to buy your reason for making a deposit. In case you want to withdraw some, he would give only half of what you need and firmly tell you to come again tomorrow. Heck, the ATM guard you never acknowledged stops you from sliding another card into the slot. Keep your hands off your money.
The police can randomly check you, your car and your belongings looking for cash. After all, you queued up and took off your shoes at the airport. You were told it's for your safety. The mall security guard checks your bonnet, bag and all your pockets. You get frisked at hotel doors, metro stops, cinemas, public parks and new places join this list every day. All of course for your own safety.
New sets of people are authorised to doubt your intentions, question your integrity, presume you are up to some hanky-panky. The Income Tax department will soon expand in size because the government has discovered too many of you have money.
Among the Opposition, only Nitish Kumar supported demonetisation? Not because he is partial to a particular colour of money. But because he is a politician who has recently tasted success in a similar state empowerment endeavour. He declared a perfectly legal commodity illegal. It suddenly had powers it did not have. Now his police can put you in jail if it so desires, by simply planting a quarter in your pocket. Gotcha!
Cops can raid homes, cars, trucks and trains and people are happy to see their government is doing something about something, even as it takes away their fundamental freedoms, one piece at a time.
Keep the boisterous Bihari in your thoughts when you raise a toast to this New Year. He can't because Nitish Kumar has snatched away his freedom to do so. Nobody doubts his intent. Not even Rahul Gandhi. He, in fact, is party to it.
Happy New Year
It's not about this government or that, BJP or Congress. People want their government strong. A rape shocks the nation and people insist the government gave itself the right to hang the rapists. Don't we all want the government to expand the scope of death sentence so that we can get rid of more criminals?
What about business criminals? Don't we want them to be behind bars if not hanged?
The popular craving for tougher laws emboldens the government, gives it an opportunity to give itself more power. Where does that power come from? You. You give some, government takes some.
You become weaker, the government becomes stronger. Of course, for your safety. You love tough guys with tough measures, don't you? Happy New Year wherever you are, in Delhi or Kolkata, in Stockholm or denial.
Watch: Black money too big for Modi's small trap