A daily campaign against Demonetisation and it’s impacts on urban poor is continuing in Delhi which will be culminated on30 Decemberin a Convention to be organised by AIPF. Comrades from AICCTU, AISA and AIPWA campaigned in Delhi’s Kapashera Border area.
Pamphlets were distributed and film screenings were held at different locations. Workers in the localities complained, “We do not have cash to pay our room rents because of which landlords are harassing us. Many people have simply locked their rooms and gone back to their villages.” One of the workers present during film screening said, “I have never felt so helpless. This government works only for Ambani and Adani.” Fifty days are almost over, but there’s no respite for the people.
Delhi University Students exposing the facade of demonetization, are also campaigning under AISA banner against the black money which flows with the nexus of PG Mafias and dominant political students wings like that of ABVP.
In Udaipur, Rajasthan, a People’s Tribunal was organised by Jantantrik Vichaar Manch on 18 December. This was attended by people from different walks of life. The Jury of the tribunal included academicians, ex-bureaucrats, journalists and activists. Prof. Hemendra Chandalia conducted the proceedings where he also apprised the audience of ineffectiveness of demonetisation exercises in curbing black money in the past in various countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Myanmar, Soviet Union and also in India. He said that such a Note Ban always resulted in economic recession in the past too. A small scale industry owner told that his production has fallen to a great extent and still he has no cash to pay to the workers. A local hospital representative informed that hardly ten percent patients are coming now and most of them have no cash to pay for. This indicates how people have been made deprived of essential basic health care. Many academicians explained how the people’s hard earned money has been siphoned off to the big capitalists through the demonetisation exercise, and the crisis of capital has been carried over per force over the common toiling masses. The black money and corruption will flourish as usual while people have to suffer more. Construction workers informed of the job loss and reeling unemployment, a peasant told that the vegetable he grew are now fetching much less prices, while a woman activist said how housewives’ own savings over the years have disappeared over night which was meant for rainy days.
