People’s Hearing on Demonetization

Against the misleading propaganda being launched by the government on the dangerous demonetization and to protest the same, the CPI(ML) in Bihar has launched a ‘Pol-Khol, Hallabol’ (exposure) campaign from 2 December. The campaign began in Patna through a Jan Sunwai (people’s hearing), held jointly with other organizations at the Gate Public Library, Gardanibagh. The Jan Sunwai was aimed at providing a platform to those affected by demonetization including daily wage labourers, construction workers, small shopkeepers, ASHA workers, midday meal workers and others, to present their concerns and expose the misleading campaign of the government.

The Jan Sunwai was joined by CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, noted economist Jean Dreze and former director of A.N. Sinha Institute Prof. D.M. Diwakar. The jury comprised of Prof. Diwakar, Bihar State ASHA Workers Association President Shashi Yadav, Dr BNP Yadav, retired bank worker Kaushal Karma, and AIARLA National President Rameshwar Prasad.

After the participants shared their problems and the brutal ways in which the move had affected them, Prof. Diwakar gave a statement on behalf of the jury. The jury stated that among those who expressed their views in the Jansunwai, none was in favour of the demonetization. Farmers, farm workers, construction workers, auto drivers, vegetable sellers and small traders—they are all bearing the vicious brunt of this demonetization. The jury said that the discussion brings out clearly the fact that this demonetization is anti-poor, anti-farmer and anti-worker. There is disquiet and unrest in all fields. The country is in the grip of an economic emergency. The interests of the common people are being thwarted ruthlessly. The verdict of jury was as follows:

    1. Peasants, agriculture and rural life have taken a huge hit. They are not getting a support price for their paddy and the government is least bothered about this. In this peak farming season they are able to buy neither fertilizer nor seeds.

    2. Workers’ livelihoods have been snatched away. Workers are either going back home or are being forced to work for extremely low wages. Day-hire, MNREGA and construction workers are being forced to accept old notes as wages for work.

    3. Women who had kept some little cash saved for a rainy day have been looted of their hard-earned savings. Demonetization has created an atmosphere of mistrust within households.

    4. Demonetization has left an extremely negative impact on the unorganized sector. 70% of the country’s business is in the unorganized sector and work in this sector has been brought to a grinding halt by stopping the flow of cash. There will be a drastic fall in employment in the days to come and the negative impact of this will be felt in our growth rate.

    5. This demonetization is against all workers—contract workers, rickshaw and auto drivers, rasoiyas (mid-day meal workers) and others.

    6. Citizens are being deprived of basic facilities. Either they do not have cash, or if they do, they have Rs 2000 notes for which they are unable to get change. People are not able to buy even medicines.

    7. So far, more than 80 people have died in bank queues due to demonetization. This is a violation of basic human rights. The victims and their families must be compensated according to Constitutional law. Constitutional and democratic rights are being flouted daily.

    8. Demonetization has encouraged and increased corruption. Even earlier, banks have been a medium for conversion of black money into white. After demonetization, banks are playing an even bigger role in converting black money into white. Thus, demonetization is synonymous with the campaign for conversion of black money into white. First it was ‘voluntary disclosure’ and now it is ‘income tax amendments’ which are facilitating conversion of black to white. Loans of big businessmen to the tune of lakhs of crores are being waived.

    9. This demonetization is a conspiracy to benefit the capitalists in favour of a ‘cashless system’. It is a sinister attempt to push the consumer from small shopkeepers to big malls.

    10. The public should be shown accounts of lands being bought by political parties for party offices or other purposes and use of black money for election campaign purposes.

    11. The reality behind the printing of forged currency is not being shown to the people.

    12. The real black money is owned by real estate barons, industrialists, insurance businessmen, jewelry dealers, builders, contractors, bureaucrats, and politicians.

    13. This demonetization is having a very adverse effect on the country’s economic development and employment situation. In totality, it is dragging the country backwards and having a very dire impact on progress and development.

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