Demonetisation: Modi's transparency call just a smoke screen for unresolved issues

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for demonetisation on November 8, 2016. An order  that changed the direction of the Indian economy in the days to come. However, his pitch for the same had been to bring in an economic reset, unmask the ‘high priests of black money’ and generally to bring in more transparency into the system.

 

Now he is hankering after transparent political funding and electoral reforms. Just in time for the polls, may we remind you.  

 

However, when it comes to transparency, there is a lot left to be desired from the prime minister’s part:

 

Denial of information

 

According to a report in PTI, there is no information available about officials whose views were taken before the decision to demonetise high-value currency notes was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has said, saying the query does not come under the definition of “information” under the RTI Act.

 

Let us remind you what comes under the RTI Act 2005:Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen of India may request information from a "public authority" (a body of Government or "instrumentality of State") which is required to reply expeditiously or within 30 days. The Act also requires every public authority to computerise their records for wide dissemination and to proactively certain categories of information so that the citizens need minimum recourse to request for information formally.

 

A clear and blatant refusal to comply to existing laws. Thank you for your non-transparency.

 

When do we know about the results of demonetisation?

 

The answer to this is being sought by every national in the country. What are the achievements of demonetisation? Apart from a startling revelation on how the government, politicians, top banking officials are involved in making a fool out of the public. While we await new currency, well-placed individuals are making off with bulk of themoney. Who is accounting for that?

 

Just calling for transparency political funding to save face, will get you nowhere Mr Prime Minister. At least be transparent about this. Walk the talk; Let us see the records. Let us have our answers.

 

Why is there a strong repressal of dissent?

 

To quote Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien: “Anyone who opposes your policy is not for black money; anyone who opposes your policy is not anti-national. Why are you giving us these lectures on corruption and black money? We are opposing you because the people are suffering; we are opposing you because we believe that the economy will be killed. But why are you making this an issue? Are you some messiah and all of us devils?”

 

Modi’s rhetoric brands anyone who dares speak against him, his policies or demonetisation in particular as an anti-national. Anyone who complains of standing in line or questions his flawed policies is called corrupt and like he said to the NRIs at the Pravisi Divas. Modi is quoted to have said, “It is unfortunate that there are some political high priests (rajnaitik pujaris) of black money who term our actions against it as anti-people.”

 

He has made the situation such that today people view the rich and the well-to-do as corrupt and anyone with no money or limited means of income as poor and honest.