banner-archive

Letters

‘‘Serve the Nation’’
Mister Modi is reported to have said that he left home and family to "serve the nation". Like many other claims the man makes, this one too is open to question. The reality is that he served the RSS, which is definitely not the nation even though it wishes to shape the nation according to its warped thinking.
Mukul Dube,
Delhi

Black & White
Request-slip for exchange of old high-denomination notes of rupees 500 and 1000 gives anyone of the multiple options of Identity-Proof required for exchange of notes. Practically it is next to impossible to scrutinise such heavy number of request-slips for exchange of notes also because of not all ID proofs mentioned in these slips attached with Aadhar-number.

There are reports that many lower-income 'professionals' not affordable to file Income-Tax returns are misusing the opportunity by joining queues at different bank-branches by exchanging notes of others at some commission/charge. A look on long queues at bank-branches can prove that not many middle-income people, what to say of high-income elite rich, are in these queues for exchange of notes. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and central government should immediately make it clear if this facility of exchanging notes (by 24.11.2016) is one-time opportunity for an individual, or an individual can exchange notes worth rupees 4000 any number of times.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal,
Delhi

Where is the Anger?
In any other country, it would have led to spontaneous demonstrations of mass protest and besieging of the headquarters of the rulers. But here, our masses (worshipped by us Communists as 'revolutionary') are extremely patient. They can be aroused to lynch Dalits and Muslims, but are willing to stand peacefully in queues before bank counters—and return home, peacefully again, in spite of not getting their much-needed cash. Such patience is repulsive—against the sense of dignity and self-respect that every Indian citizen is entitled to assert. I'm reminded of Brecht's words in his play 'Life of Galileo'—"I perceive the divine patience of your people, but where is the divine anger?"
Sumanta Banerjee,
Hyderabad

Third Time
This is the third time India has gone through demonetisation of modern currency. In 1946, the British government demonetised hundred rupee currency and in 1978, currency notes of Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 were demonetised. The withdrawal of relatively lower denomination notes in 2016 has widened the net, which was also essential considering the huge amount of black money circulating. This move, though, has also inconvenienced the honest citizens temporarily. Thankfully, the prevalence of electronic money now has saved citizens frorn the worse.
Mukul Dube,
Delhi

Frontier
Vol. 49, No.23, Dec 11 - 17, 2016