Protest began to replace patience in Kerala on Sunday with the financial hardships brought about by the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes worsening further even as the CPI(M)-led lDF Government and the Congress-led Opposition chose to unleash scathing criticisms against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government for the move.
Despite being a holiday, Sunday saw large crowds gathering in front of ATMs for drawing the permitted amount of Rs 2,000 and at bank branches for exchanging demonetised notes for valid currencies and for depositing and withdrawing money. However, a large number of ATMs were out of money and the booths adjacent to bank branches ran out of cash within an hour or two.
The same people who in the previous three days had proudly expressed their readiness to “suffer small hardships” for a big cause–eradication of black money and counterfeit currency – were on Sunday seen blaming the Centre for implementing the demonetisation decision without taking sufficient steps to avoid “troubling the citizens so much”.
“It seems that the Centre is confused. Yesterday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked for two weeks to end all problems. Today, the Prime Minister said the hardships would end in 50 days. What does this meanIJ I think they don’t have a clear picture of the situation and the steps needed to tackle it,” said a former top executive of a leading scheduled bank.
Plantation and construction sectors witnessed confusion as managements and contractors were unable to pay the weekly wages and allowances to tens of thousands of workers, who were seen running around to borrow money in small-denomination notes. “There is no rice at home. We have big notes but nobody accepts it. Fortunately, the grocer is helping us now. But what about tomorrowIJ” asked Padmini, a tealeaf-picker in Kumily.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Government moved in to mitigate the difficulties the people were facing due to currency demonetization. As per this, time would be given till November 30 for paying taxes, bills and examination fees without fine. However, this would not be applicable in the case of Excise Duty and VAT.
Attacking the Centre for withdrawing high-value notes allegedly without proper preparations, Marxist Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “What has become clear already is that the move has not been intended to catch black money-holders. It seems that the black money lobby had got prior information… The hardships this has caused to the people are indescribable.”
Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac of the CPI(M) said he had not expected the “financial anarchy” brought about by the demonetisation to be “this horrible”. Terming the Central move as “pure madness”, he told newsmen in Kochi, “The Centre has not tried to understand the gravity of the situation. let two more days pass. You can see the people starving.”
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala of the Congress alleged that the Prime Minister, whom he likened to Muhammad bin Tughluq, was pushing people into hardships by taking decisions without thinking about the consequences. “Arun Jaitley says people should do their transactions online. Can someone tell me which planet he is living onIJ” he asked.