On November 8, quite casually I heard the news in the evening that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stopping by midnight the circulating of Rs.500/- and Rs.1000/- notes and we were to give all these denomination notes to the bank in exchange for Rs.100/-, Rs.50/- or Rs.10/- notes. Having just withdrawn money a few days back and paid those who needed to be paid in cash, I was left with just a few five hundred rupee notes which the next morning were got exchanged in a scramble at the overcrowded bank. It's funny how political parties change their tunes and do an about turn. The ruling BJP had opposed demonetization just before the 2014 elections! The Prime Minister now declared demonetization as the only way to save India from terrorism, black money and corruption. Wow! We have been prey to these for the last almost seventy years of Congress rule for the most part, and only the Prime Minister's surprise announcement and implementation of demonetization can save us! We can change the old notes till December 30, 2016 and there is a limit to us withdrawing our own money from ATMs. Well, the Finance Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley has told us that demonetization would clean the complete economic system, increase the size of economy and revenue base. There is chaos in most of the cities' banks and ATMs around the country with lack of sufficient cash and the stock market has come down too. The RBI governor has praised the PM and promised new currency notes soon.
The Rs.2000 note that was launched seems quite sad with the colour fading with a water wash. People who didn't have bank accounts or debit cards have really suffered when they are not black money hoarders. People are asking that if this is a "game changer", why are they being harassed? Pensioners and daily wage labourers are the worst sufferers. According to Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, the I&B Minister, "The PM wants every citizen to be pure not only in thoughts but in action too, and this is why he has given the mantra of reform, perform and transform." He added that the country is fighting corruption, terrorism, smuggling, drug menace and other social ills. The queues at banks and ATMs are continuing and there is violence reported in some parts of the country and the harassment continues. There simply is not enough cash and the banks are unable to provide the adequate amount. Bank employees are facing the customers' ire to implement this game changing decree. Even the bank staff seems inadquate and they do not have enough ways to verify all that they are asked to do. Actor Mr. Anupam Kher says that this is like doing a house renovation!
Terror attacks continue, black money laundering is carrying on. Business and economy has been adversely affected. Donations at temples however have reached phenomenal proportions and bagful of torn notes are found floating in rivers. Just when the Finance Minister had put a limit to money spent on marriages at two lakh rupees, there was the former BJP minister of Mining, G. Janardhan Reddy, whose daughter was married in Bangalore Palace Grounds in a five hundred crore expense limit. We are skeptical and cynical about the government's ability to do what they claim will result with demonetization. The price of everything has gone up but we can't withdraw our own money to purchase.....it's the limit!
The transformation towards a pure heart doesn't come with the government enforcing a set of rules over the people while having a different set of rules to govern their own selves! It comes by recognizing that we need a Savior and His Name is Jesus, Who died to save all mankind from their sins. Only the Holy God can do this for humanity and through faith in the finished work of the Cross is humanity redeemed. May it be that Mr. Modi has an encounter with the Risen Christ that will transform him!
The Rs.2000 note that was launched seems quite sad with the colour fading with a water wash. People who didn't have bank accounts or debit cards have really suffered when they are not black money hoarders. People are asking that if this is a "game changer", why are they being harassed? Pensioners and daily wage labourers are the worst sufferers. According to Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, the I&B Minister, "The PM wants every citizen to be pure not only in thoughts but in action too, and this is why he has given the mantra of reform, perform and transform." He added that the country is fighting corruption, terrorism, smuggling, drug menace and other social ills. The queues at banks and ATMs are continuing and there is violence reported in some parts of the country and the harassment continues. There simply is not enough cash and the banks are unable to provide the adequate amount. Bank employees are facing the customers' ire to implement this game changing decree. Even the bank staff seems inadquate and they do not have enough ways to verify all that they are asked to do. Actor Mr. Anupam Kher says that this is like doing a house renovation!
Terror attacks continue, black money laundering is carrying on. Business and economy has been adversely affected. Donations at temples however have reached phenomenal proportions and bagful of torn notes are found floating in rivers. Just when the Finance Minister had put a limit to money spent on marriages at two lakh rupees, there was the former BJP minister of Mining, G. Janardhan Reddy, whose daughter was married in Bangalore Palace Grounds in a five hundred crore expense limit. We are skeptical and cynical about the government's ability to do what they claim will result with demonetization. The price of everything has gone up but we can't withdraw our own money to purchase.....it's the limit!
The transformation towards a pure heart doesn't come with the government enforcing a set of rules over the people while having a different set of rules to govern their own selves! It comes by recognizing that we need a Savior and His Name is Jesus, Who died to save all mankind from their sins. Only the Holy God can do this for humanity and through faith in the finished work of the Cross is humanity redeemed. May it be that Mr. Modi has an encounter with the Risen Christ that will transform him!
