51 - PRIME MINISTER MODI AND DEMONETIZATION HUNGAMA

What a stupid and unwarranted decision it is of the Indian prime minister Mr.Modi, to scrap the currency notes of one thousand and five hundred.  Supposedly to bring out the hidden black money of hoarders.  Please note Mr.Prime minister, what these dishonest persons did once, they will do again, and they will be prepared for future such decisions.

And if it is a step to curb the counterfeit currency that Pakistan has infiltrated into our economy, then they will do it to the new currency too.  In fact, if I were a counterfeiter, it would be a very good opportunity to infiltrate the new currency, at a time when Indian citizens are so vulnerable.  Gullible persons will take the new currency at face value and not be able to differentiate between the  real and the fake at this moment.  At least the present currency was something that we had become aware about.  As a layperson in the field of finance, even I had become aware of how to feel and check out the rupees five hundred and one thousand currency notes.  With the brand new notes of 500 and 2000 being thrust onto us, so suddenly,  it will be unknown territory.  I have just viewed the pictures of the new currency on television news.  So when I get currency that looks like that, I will have no means to check its veracity.  At least, the new currency should have been formatted like the plastic currency of Australia, which is so wow and so futuristic too.

Today,  my experiences have made me very infuriated, thanks to the government's rash decision.  I travel by taxi and bus, on my way to and from work, so change of almost eighty rupees gets used.  I had to buy bread (rs.35), two tetrapacks of milk (rs.150),  oil (rs.180),  Muesli (rs.85), 6 eggs (rs.35), a total of rs.485,  and the shopkeeper, from whom I have been shopping the above goods every week, refused to accept my 500 rupee note.  And then I decided to buy paneer, rs.260 for half a kilo, and that shopkeeper too refused to accept my 500 rupee note.  So when I visited the fruit seller, and he too refused.  I needed some medicines and a mosquito spray, but the three pharmacys that I passed were so crowded, that I dared not to wait for my turn in the melee of pushy and impatient men.  And so I returned home with an empty bag, feeling very resentful, that I had to be insulted in spite of wanting to use my hard earned money.

Today I do not appreciate Mr. Arnab Goswami, our very voluble Times Now, TV anchor,  at all.  He is arguing just to appease the Modi government higher ups, it is clear.  The opposition Congress view point is more practical and realistic.  The roads across Mumbai have been bereft of goods vehicles and transport vans, because they are off the road, as their bosses do not want to be paid in 500 and 1000 currency notes, which is the only feasible mode of payment for wholesale service.  The vegetable market was also almost deserted, as no vendors wanted to take these notes. 

If this drastic step by the government is aimed at black money hoarders, then it is not the only prey.  Honest, hardworking persons are suffering emotional trauma caused because of the discontinuance of the currency.  Today, a colleague of mine was continuously in tears.  She is a very middle class housewife and a teacher.  Christians have holy communion scheduled for this month and she is heart broken, having withdrawn almost one lakh to pay for preparations, which would not have been possible with a cheque.  Flower decorators, small time event managers, food suppliers, tailors, even priests, do not take cheque or card payments.  Another colleague had just money-ordered cash to his family in the village, which is needed for a relative's  ongoing medical treatment and is worried how they will manage with the discontinued currency. 

The ruling party in India, who live in lavish bungalows, enjoy travelling by plane, helicopters and expensive suvs, who invest in flats that are priced at one crore or more,  will keep enjoying these perks, as they will keep up with their 'kickbacks' anyway.

How is it that ordinary citizens, suddenly become crorepaties when they become politicians?  They will continue to squeeze their profits through the same routes that they have managed to, for so many years. 

Why sir, did you not announce this step before Divali?  You have not bothered to empathize with the numerous families that have a wedding in the offing.  You are brash and dictatorial.  My cash is 'paseeneh kee kamai' which you have announced is 'trash'.  I wholeheartedly abhorr you for that.

My parting shot to our honourable PM is that, you should walk, and use public transport and live frugally, as a 'chaiwalla' should.  Otherwise please give the exact graph of your fortunes rising so astronomically.  How is it that you were 'honest' and did you not ever accept 'black money' and yet now you have been able to grab the top post and travel in your own 'plane' to countries around the world.

Of course you are representing the country, but along the way, you paved your destiny very favourably and very cleverly, to achieve your present post.  You must admit that  you too have taken advantage of kickbacks and black money to fulfill your ambitions.  The political rallies and public posters, if you take into account the minimum that a rising politician has to spend on, you sir, have not spared any paisa, ever.

Long term???  The people who hoard and earn money illicitly, will continue to do so, and the politicians are the main culprits who demand bribes, and they will do so in the future too.  I do not have an ATM card because I do not want to waste the extra service charges.  I withdraw money according to my needs, and that is in the 500 rupees denomination, for my monthly use.  You, and your political cronies are the biggest black money hoarders, as is proof of the income shown on the names of all your family members galore.



 

47 - LOCAL SURGICAL STRIKE

Surgical stirkes were resorted to by the Indian army, to avenge the repeated seize fire violations and terrorist insursions by Pakistan into Indian territory.  That is a national issue, but at the local level, often one has to resort to such action in daily life, when faced with a chronic problem that has no other feasible solution.  Here is my take on a local 'surgical strike'.

It would seem that any person who is travelling by a taxi, is so comfortable and happy to be availing of this service.  But it is not such a 'happy' situation for the traveller at most times.

In Mumbai, the first problem is to be able to get into a taxi when one needs to.  And so I have to resort to a 'surgical strike' type of operation, to capture one.  First, I have to keep waving out, hoping that the cab is unoccupied and will stop.  Then the driver slows down and asks where I want to go, and if it does not suit him, he will just zoom off.  But if there is a red traffic signal nearby, then I can 'capture' the cab and forcefully make him take me to my destination.  Often I have to resort to more drastic means to catch a cab.  After patiently waving out to 5 or 6 cabs, in vain, I then just step out in front of one and request any passer-by to help me to enter the cab by blocking it, while I 'capture' the cab and settle in.  Of course, this is a bit difficult, since all passers-by are not too eager to help and until that happens, the traffic behind my 'captured' cab comes to a stand still, with a lot of cursing and honking, until the deed is accomplished.  But that is not the end to my woe.  The taxi driver then threatens to take me for a ride of my life that I will forever regret.  And then is the next step of my strategy.  I insist that he can do so and then answer to the cops who I shall dial on my mobile, and for extra effect, I take out my whistle, blow loudly and challenge the cabbie to take me safely or face dire consequences impromptu.  After two minutes, the cabbie opts to grumble aloud and carry on driving to my destination.  These cabbies grumble about their thankless job, about the sultry weather, or the incessant rains, or the countless potholes, and the corrupt policemen who fine them randomly, the new Ola cabs that have eroded their customer base etc etc.

My desperation to catch a cab is only when I am overloaded with my weekly marketing trip, or when I am desperate to reach my school on time.  Entering a cab, it is sometimes a torture to touch the handle, when one can observe red paan spit all over the exterior of the taxi door.  But it has to be handled carefully and I gingerly avoid touching more than necessary to get the door open.

In the mornings, when I am not tired and on my way to work, I settle into a cab and then follow a fixed action plan.  I turn the window handle clockwise to lower the window on my left, and turn the window handle anti clockwise, on the window on my right.  Until this process is completed, I try to hold my breath.  Once the fresh air has entered the cab, I breathe easily,  because 55 percent of our cabbies have TB or some sort of throat infection, or a persistant cough.  This statistic is only based on my personal experiences.  Some taxi drivers sleep in the back seat during the night and it is their 'bedroom',  which is a very depressing thought for me when I observe that the cab I enter has fabric seat covers.  At least plastic or rubber seat covers tend to be more hygienic and bug free, I suppose.

Then I make sure that the meter has been turned on, because there have been instances when the driver forgets to do so.  The next observation is the car dangler that occupies the centre spot of the wind screen.  If the driver is a Hindu, there is usually a plastic Hanuman in the reclining position, with  a curly wurly tail facing upwards.  Down on the centre of the dashboard,  a colourful ganpati figurine, with a beaded canopy, garlanded with fresh flowers, is displayed.  If the cab driver is Muslim, then a decorated CD, with urdu writings hangs happily, as a lucky taavees, dancing away with the taxi bouncing in and out of the numerous potholes.  Some taxis have a Saibaba statue installed on the dashboard, decorated with vermillion and turmeric, remnants of an early morning pooja.  A very popular centrepiece is also a plastic map of India, with two Indian flags across it.

On a few occasions, the cab driver bad mouths overtakers, or honks randomly,  but as a passenger it is prudent to stay quiet until the journey has ended and then express an opinion.  On one such trip, it was very difficult for me to compromise and be silent, while the driver kept popping his head out of his window and spitting at every opportunity, and at every signal stopover.  This is usually a stopover or slow down at eight key traffic crossroads, and I was very  uncomfortable.  When I was alighting, I gave the fare and also a Happy Dent pack of six to the driver and told him that chewing the happydent would help him to control his spitting which was not a very hygienic habit. 

I always keep an extra packet of Happy Dent with me and gift it to chronic spitters and tobacco chewing taxi drivers.  I wish Mr.Quadros, the taximens' union leader would address this problem.

And if my blog does get through to him, I have another suggestion too.  An unoccupied cab should display a green headlight or toplight, so that when we wave it down, we know that we are waving down an available cab.  Otherwise it is so difficult to surmise whether the approaching cab is free or not, especially in the night.

So, let there be Ola and Meru and TABcab services, but the easiest ones accessible to the common laymen, will always will be the Kaali Peeli cabs of Mumbai.