Customers form queues inside a post office in Hyderabad on Friday. AFP photo

New Delhi, November 18The Supreme Court on Friday dubbed as a “serious issue” the long queues outside banks and post offices and expressed its reservation on the Centre’s plea seeking a direction that no other court in the country should entertain petitions challenging the November 8 notification demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.“It is a serious issue which requires consideration,” a bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice AR Dave said, while asking the parties to be ready with data and other issues in writing.“Some measures are required. See the kind of problems people are facing. People have to go to the high court. If we shut them from going to the high court, how can we know the magnitude of the problem? People going to different courts indicates the magnitude of the problem,” the bench said.It made the remarks as Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi submitted that any matter relating to challenge to the demonetisation issue be heard only by the apex court.However, the bench said, “People are affected. People are frantic. People have the right to approach the courts,” noting that there are difficulties and “can you (the Centre) dispute”.The AG said there was no dispute, but the queues were getting shorter and even suggested that the CJI could go out during lunch and himself look at the queue.“Kindly go in the lunch time,” the AG told the bench and took objection to senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for a private party for allegedly exaggerating the situation.“It’s a political attempt in the court. I have seen your (Sibal’s) press conference also. You are not appearing for a political party, but for an advocate. You are turning the apex court into a political platform,” Rohatgi said.At the outset, the bench questioned the relief measures undertaken by the Centre saying, “Last time, you said there would be relief for people in the coming days but you have squeezed the exchange limit to Rs 2,000 only. What is the difficulty?” the bench asked Rohatgi.The AG explained the situation by stating that after printing, the currency had to be moved to thousands of centres across the country and ATMs had to be re-calibrated. “There is no shortage of funds,” he said.To questions from the bench, the AG said Rs 100 notes are in circulation and the ATMs needed to be re-calibrated to issue new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000.He also elaborated on the steps taken by the government to meet the situation by stating that besides reducing the exchange limit, farmers had been allowed to withdraw Rs 50,000 and people having weddings at home could withdraw Rs 2.5 lakh.“At a petrol pump, which has a card-swipe machine of the SBI, people can go and withdraw money up to Rs 2,000. We have been monitoring the situation day by day,” Rohatgi said, adding that the idea was to push the new notes of Rs 2,000 as one note of Rs 2,000 is equal to 20 notes of Rs 100.At this point, Sibal interrupted saying the problem is of printing as they needed to print Rs 23 lakh crore, but they did not have the capacity to do that.“Already they have frozen Rs 14,000 crore and it is not clear under which law they have done so,” he said, contending that it is a serious situation where people could not withdraw their own taxed money.“They are trustee, how can they not let us withdraw our legitimate money,” he said, adding that “the situation has turned from bad to worse”.Sibal said the government was not concerned about the people living in remote areas of the north-east, Himachal Pradesh and Naxal-hit district of Bastar where people had to walk for 20 km to reach an ATM.While the Congress leader was making the submission pointing out the deficiencies and the steps taken by the Centre, the AG said, “We need not give any explanation as right now it is the interim application that has to be heard.”Realising that the bench had reservation in entertaining the Centre’s application, Rohatgi said, “We will file a transfer petition.”The matter will be heard again on November 25.

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The Centre has moved the apex court seeking a stay on the proceedings before various high courts and other courts except the apex court against demonetisation issue, saying otherwise it would create a lot of confusion.The apex court had on November 15 refused to stay the government’s demonetisation notification, but asked it to spell out the steps taken to minimise public inconvenience.Out of the four PILs in the apex court on the demonetisation issue, two were filed by Delhi-based lawyers Vivek Narayan Sharma and Sangam Lal Pandey, while two others were filed by individuals, S Muthukumar and Adil Alvi.The petitioners have alleged that the sudden decision has created chaos and harassment to the public at large and the notification of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, be either quashed or deferred for some time.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a televised address to the nation on November 8, had announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would no longer be legal tender from November 9.He had said that the government had declared a “decisive war” against black money and corruption. PTI

Say sorry for 55 deaths: Cong to PM

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 18

The Congress today blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move for the death of 55 persons across the country seeking his apology for the same.Attacking the PM for taking a “dictatorial decision”, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “The dictatorial decision of PM Modi has led to these deaths. Who will take responsibility? The PM must apologise. The whole country is suffering because of the eccentricity of one man. People are standing in queues and have died trying to withdraw money for their wards’ weddings.”The Congress also asked for old currency to be permitted for agricultural purchases besides permission to cooperative banks in rural areas to exchange old currency.Noting that the government had changed its rules on the decision 18 times since its announcement on November 8, Surjewala said it would take many months to replenish the cash in the economy.He argued that firms printing Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes in India do not have adequate capacity to print new currency in a short period. Surjewala asked the government whether or not it would take months to replace 86 per cent currency that stands withdrawn after demonetisation.“Country’s agricultural economy has been shattered. All cooperative, land development banks, land cooperative societies have been left out of the ambit of banks allowed to exchange currency. The Agriculture Minister asked for old notes to be allowed for farm purchases, but a “tuglaqi” PM trashed this suggestion,” Surjewala added.

Surjewala defends Azad

• Randeep Surjewala (pic) on Friday defended Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who, on Thursday, spoke in one breath about the killing of 20 soldiers in the Uri terror attack and alleged deaths in India due to cash crunch
• “There is no question of defending anyone. He only said what was correct. What did he say? In Uri, 20 jawans died defending the nation, but one autocratic decision of the PM has led to 55 deaths. We are proud of our soldiers, but what about those who are dying due to PM’s decision? If anyone asks questions they say you are anti-national,” Surjewala said

Psychiatrists:Cash crunch affecting mental health

Kolkata, November 18

The government’s demonetisation decision is taking a toll on the mental health of many cash-strapped businessmen in rural areas of West Bengal whose entire sales are in cash.Within a couple of days of the announcement, a potato wholeseller started having panic attacks since he has about Rs50 to Rs60 lakh of the perishable agriculture produce lying in cold storage.He buys potato on credit in bulk and sells it in cash to smaller traders but now, as a result of cash crunch, there are no buyers. “The wholeseller fears that his entire stock will go waste, incurring him a huge loss. He was suffering from panic and anxiety attacks and thought he will die,” senior consultant psychiatrist Sanjay Garg said.According to psychiatrists, they have been getting a significant number of patients suffering from mental stress after the Centre’s move to demonetise Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes. Garg said most of such patients are from middle and upper-middle class families from rural Bengal where the reach of plastic money is limited.Another psychiatrist Santasree Gupta said one of her patients was a 50-year-old widow who inherited Rs30 lakh in cash savings from her deceased husband. “She had plans to buy a flat and spend the rest of the amount on her son’s marriage. And now she feels very insecure. She had to be put on medication to control the stress,” Gupta added. — PTI

32 fake Rs2,000 notes found in Assam

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, November 18

Thirty-two fake currency notes of Rs2,000 denomination were today recovered from a woman at Simaluguri in Lakhimpur district of north-eastern Assam.The police have seized the fake Rs2,000 notes which bore the same serial number and picked up the woman for questioning. The woman claimed that she had been provided the notes by one Abhijit Das whom she had engaged to exchange demonetised currency notes in the bank.The woman claimed that Das had offered to exchange Rs65,000 in demonetised currency notes she was carrying to the bank and came to her residence on Thursday night along with another person and gave her Rs65,000 exchanged notes — 32 notes in Rs2,000 denomination and two notes in Rs500 denomination. All notes were declared fake by local bank officials today.The woman had engaged with Das earlier also to exchange demonetised currency notes worth Rs7,000 as she could not stand in queue for long. The police are now on the lookout for Das.

Cong alleges 55 died due to demonetisation, seeks PM’s apology

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. File photo

New Delhi, November 18

Stepping up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Friday held his “draconian decision” on demonetisation responsible for the death of 55 people and asked him to apologise to their families and the country.Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala released a list of 55 persons who lost their lives while standing in queues at banks and ATMs in the wake of demonetisation and demanded compensation to their families besides probe into their death.“The draconian decision of a dictatorial Prime Minister has led to 55 deaths. Who is responsible for this? The PM should apologise to the familes of those who lost their lives and also to the country. His whimsical decision has led to this,” he told reporters.He also said, “Government must pay adequate compensation to these 55 families who lost their near and dear ones. Their deaths must be investigated and consequent action taken.”     He also accused the Prime Minister of “acting first and thinking later”, alleging that no proper planning was made by his government before implementing the decision which has thrown the country into “financial anarchy and chaos”.Surjewala said while the people of the country are facing hardship and harassment because of the “whims and fancies” of the Prime Minister bent upon “image building”. He alleged the Prime Minister was now dubbing all those questioning his demonetisation exercise as “anti-nationals”.The Congress leader also demanded that the cooperative sector, which includes banks and societies, be allowed to use old currency notes as the rural economy has been “shut” ahead of the Rabi sowing season.He said following the “Tuglaqi farman” (diktat) issued 10 days ago on demonetisation, the entire country has been plunged into “financial emergency and anarchy”, and the “hapless and helpless” people of India are languishing in long queues amid utter chaos and confusion.“All this has been done on account of obduracy of one individual and for his image building. India has a Prime Minister who decides first, thinks later and listens to no one. When glaring mistakes and bungling are caught, anyone asking questions is branded as ‘anti-National’,” Surjewala said. — PTI

Banks to not exchange old notes tomorrow; senior citizens exempted

People queue up to exchange their old 500 and 100 rupees notes at the Jammu & Kashmir Bank in Rajouri on Friday. PTI photo

New Delhi, November 18

Banks will only allow senior citizens to exchange old 500 and 100 rupees notes on Saturday, officials have said.

The Indian Banks’ Association announced on Friday that banks would not serve non-bank customers on Saturday — a break after more than a week of long working hours. However, senior citizens will be exempted.

“All other services at banks will be operational. Tomorrow, we will complete our pending work,” IBA chairman Rajiv Rishi. — Agencies

No move to seal bank lockers, confiscate jewellery: Fin Min

The ministry also said that the Rs 2,000 notes had a safety feature, which was called “intaglio”

New Delhi, November 18Scoffing at rumours, the Finance Ministry on Friday said there was no move to seal bank lockers nor was it true that the ink of the new Rs 2,000 notes had been bleeding in some cases.“Myth: Next move is to seal bank lockers and confiscate gold, diamonds and jewellery. Reality: This is baseless. There is no proposal to seal bank lockers and confiscate the jewellery,” the ministry tweeted in its official Twitter account.

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The ministry also said that the Rs 2,000 notes had a safety feature, which was called “intaglio” (a design that is incised or engraved into a material).“To identify a genuine note when you rub it against a cloth, a turbo-electric effect is generated and it is due to this that the note’s ink gets transferred on to the cloth,” the ministry said. IANS

SC says situation serious, fears riots

CASH CRISIS Top court refuses to stay hearings on pleas, asks why exchange limit cut

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court came down hard on the government on Friday for not doing enough to ease the cash crunch in the country, warning that the situation was serious and people were still so anxious that there could be riots.

The government’s surprise decision to scrap high-value currency has led to chaos, with snaking queues outside banks and ATMs even 10 days after the decision. The bills accounted for 86% of all cash in the economy.

“People are affected and they have the right to approach the courts. People are frantic. There may be riots,” said a bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice AR Dave.

The court also refused the government’s request to put on hold petitions pending in various high courts challenging the decision to scrap `500 and `1,000 banknotes.

“Multiple petitions show the kind of problems people are facing. They are going to high court for relief. If we shut them from going to the high court, how can we know the magnitude of the problem?” the judges argued.

Adjourning the matter for November 25, the court said it might move pleas pending in various high courts to the one in Delhi.

Defending the government move, its top law officer, attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, said steps had been taken to ease people’s hardship, but there were still some problems in moving cash quickly to banks, ATMs and post offices.

The top court’s rebuke was virtually echoed by the Calcutta high court which told the Centre that its near-daily revision of cash guidelines was harassing people. It asked the government to list relief measures taken so far by November 25.

The government, which has limited cash withdrawals, has struggled to keep up with the demand for money. Several people have complained that banks were giving them `2,000 notes that were of little use in face of the currency shortage.

“We asked you to give some relief but you have reduced the exchange limit,” the top court said, referring to the previous hearing when it asked the government to ensure that people were not inconvenienced. “Is there a printing problem?” Trying to convince the court, Rohatgi said the government was aware of the inconvenience and, therefore, issued new notifications daily. But, it was not possible to give `100 to everybody, the AG said, when the court asked him if there were enough notes.

Rohatgi also clashed with Kapil Sibal who is representing one of the petitioners to challenge the demonetisation move. He accused Sibal, a senior Congress leader, of turning the court into a political platform.

SRINAGAR: After alleged spelling mistakes in the Urdu lettering on the new `2,000 banknotes, Kashmiri experts have pointed out mistakes in Kashmiri language as well.

In the trouble-torn Valley, language experts are seeing the mistake as “insensitive”.

On the new note, Kashmiri spelling for two thousand rupees, which reads as “ze saas ropiye”, has been spelt with a wrong alphabet, changing the phonetics and pronunciation of the word. Instead of using alphabet ‘zaal’, the note starts with ‘zea’, which is a spelling mistake.

Earlier, many scholars were miffed that the new pink-coloured notes had at least three spelling mistakes in Urdu.

The first Urdu alphabet ‘dal’ has been written in a way that it reads ‘laam’, changing the entire word and the meaning of the word ‘do’ (two) to ‘lo’. The second word ‘hazaar’ (thousand) has a dot underneath the ‘ha’, so it is read as ‘bay’, making the word ‘bazaar’ instead of ‘hazaar’.

The words together read ‘lo bazaar’ instead of the intended ‘do hazaar’. Both Urdu and Kashmiri languages are written right-to left in an extension of the Persian alphabet, which is itself an extension of the Arabic alphabet. Speaking to Hindustan Times, language experts in Srinagar call it insensitivity.

“It is wrong and shows insensitivity towards the languages. The government should have been careful and it needs to be corrected,” said Shujaat Bhukari, president Adabi Markaz Kamraaz, a body working towards promotion of the Kashmri language.

Experts feel it shows carelessness on government’s part. “It is either carelessness or a deliberate attempt to insult a language. Why are such mistakes only in Urdu and Kashmiri only,” questioned Imdad Saqi, convener, Tehreek Baqa Urdu, another body working for the promotion of Urdu and other regional languages.

A Kashmiri woman said the spelling was so basic that a school-going child could have pointed it out.

CRPF women commandos at Ranchi in Jharkhand on Tuesday. PTI

Ranchi, November 15

For the first time, the CRPF has deployed a team of women commandos in anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand.The 135 women belonging to the 232 battalion’s Delta company are currently undertaking operations under the supervision of CRPF’s 133 battalion in Naxal-infested forests on the outskirts of Ranchi near Khoonti area.Sanjay A Lathkar, CRPF IG of Jharkhand, said, “On October 17, a company of women commandos was for the first time inducted in CRPF to counter Naxal insurgency in Jharkhand. They have started carrying out anti-Naxal operations”.Neeraj Pandey, CRPF Commandment of 133 battalion, said, “The women are brave and currently undertaking first-hand experience of anti-Naxal operation in forests outside Ranchi. They have been provided extensive training in CRPF academies specially for countering Naxals”.”Since the induction of women commandos, the strength of our operation in Naxal-infested areas has increased two-fold,” Pandey said.The women commandos are second to none and have been given training on a par with men. They are equally able to tackle the Naxal issue, he said.”We wanted to serve our country and that is why we are here. We have resolved to eradicate the Naxal menace completely as it is not only harmful and fatal for people but also affecting the progress of the country,” said Shakti Tirkey, Delta company commander who is heading the 135 woman commandos.GVH Giri Prasad, DIG, CRPF said women commandos come handy in several situations while carrying out anti-Naxal operations.”It was felt that to tackle women Naxals, there should be women commandos who must be equally capable of neutralising Naxals. The women commandos are well prepared and well groomed to face any situation and hardships. There is no difference between a man or a woman commando,” Prasad said.The woman commandos are experts in carrying out all types of anti-Naxal operations.They have be trained in several case studies and carry out their operation in a perfect manner. They are equipped with modern weapons and software to assist them in executing their plan, the CRPF officers said. PTI

‘PM Modi ruined Gurpurb festivity’

Bathinda: Empathising with people struggling to cope with severe cash shortage in the aftermath of the Centre’s demonetisation move, PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday stopped by at a branch of the State Bank of Patiala while on his way to Abohar. He claimed that Modi had ruied the mood of the people ahead of Gurpurb as people were left with little cash to celebrate the sacred occasion. He said: “Gurpurb is a huge festival for us, and yet, for no fault of ours, we have been deprived of money to celebrate it.” TNS

Mamata speaks to President on demonetisation issue

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PTI file

Kolkata, November 13

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday spoke to President Pranab Mukherjee over the Centre’s demonetisation move and said representatives of political parties will meet him next week over the issue.“The Hon President was kind enough to take my call. I briefed him about how common people are suffering because of demonetisation,” Banerjee tweeted today.“I thank him for agreeing to meet reps of political parties on Nov 16 or 17 where we will brief him in detail on the grim situation,” she wrote in the microblogging site.Upping the ante against BJP, Banerjee yesterday had said she is not averse to working with arch rival CPI(M) and other opposition parties like Congress, SP, BSP to fight against the “anti-people” Modi government which has imposed an “undeclared emergency”.Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of conducting a “surgical strike on the common people” in the name of unearthing black money, she had said the demonetisation move was taken without proper planning causing immense hardship. — PTI

On note ban, PM gets emotional, says will put things in order in 50 days

They may finish me, but I will not stop, says PM Modi. —PTI

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 13Prime Minister Narendra Modi almost choked up while speaking about his government’s demonetisation plan that has seen some of the fiercest attack from the Opposition parties. However, in an equally scathing counter, he on Sunday asserted that threats to his life would not make him back down on the decision.The emotional appeal asking the people to stand by him for just 50 days came while speaking at the foundation stone laying of Mopa Greenfield airport in Goa. The Prime Minister said he empathised and felt the pain and hardships of the common man following the step aimed at eradicating black money in the country.

“Yes I also feel the pain. These steps taken were not a display of arrogance. I have seen poverty and understand the people’s problems. I was not born to sit on a chair of high office,” he said making an emotional appeal. While the sudden move has seen widespread support, it seems to be now eroding following the continued hardships. Not just the queues at the banks and the ATMs, there are now reports of essentials selling at higher prices, adding to the common man’s woes.“Whatever I had, my family, my home… I left all of it for the nation,” the PM said, almost choking up amid an appreciative applause from the crowd. And then launching a direct attack against the Opposition, he said that “they” might think they could stop him by creating hurdles but he would not stop in his fight against corruption “even if he was finished”“I know they are against me. They may not let me live. They may finish me, because their loot of 70 years is in trouble. But I am prepared,” he declared asking people to stand by him for just 50 days to put the things in orderThe people had high expectations from his government given the strong mandate in 2014, he said, promising to continue the fight against corruption. “Those who want to do politics can do so. Those who have robbed us are now accusing us. I just want my honest citizens to stay patient for 50 days,” he saidThe demonetisation process started 10 months ago and was a part of series of steps to eardicate corruption and black money from the country, he said. “Punish me if I do not deliver,” he added.”This is not an end. I have more projects in mind to make India corruption-free… Cooperate with me and help me for 50 days and I will give you the India you desired,” Modi said after laying the foundation stone of Mopa greenfield airport and launching work on electronic city project in Goa.”We will take action against ‘benami’ property; This is major step to eradicate corruption and black money… If any money that was looted in India and has left Indian shores, it is our duty to find out about it,” he said.

Petrol sold for Rs 300 a litre in Manipur

Imphal, November 13

A litre of petrol on Sunday was selling for Rs 300 in Manipur due to the indefinite economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC) against the creation two new districts.

Since the blockade, all petrol vends across Manipur has gone bone dry.

Meanwhile, a move was being made to escort the Manipur-bound loaded trucks and oil tankers stranded at different places in Assam.

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When the Manipur government chose to ignore the 48-hour UNC sponsored general strike and the subsequent blockade, the Naga organisations decided to intensify the agitations.

They turned a deaf ear to the orchestrated appeals from diverse sections to withdraw the blockade.

Chief secretary Oinam Nabakishore said, “Some NGOs should not resort to blockade. We appeal to them to call off the blockade.”  When there was no response, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said, “Armed policemen are detailed to escort the stranded trucks and oil tankers.”  Most of them have been parked along the highway since November 1.

One truck loaded with cement was torched on the highway on Saturday night.

Women activists have banned transportation of various items from Imphal to Naga dominated areas of the state.

Petrol diesel, kerosene and LPG cylinders are no longer available in Manipur.

Prices of essential commodities have soared beyond the reach of the people. Many consumer items have vanished from the market.

People from Jiribam and Sadar Hills areas are exerting pressure on the government to create the new districts. This has led to the agitation.

—IANS

Be patient for 50 days: Modi

Chokes up while talking of his ‘sacrifices’; says ‘they may not let me live’

“People have high expectations. I just want my honest citizens to stay patient for 50 days. This is part of a series of steps to end corruption and black money. Punish me if I don’t deliver.” Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made an impassioned plea for 50 days’ cooperation in his attempt to make India corruption-free.Empathising with the “honest” common people on hardships they were facing following his demonetisation move, he almost choked up while talking about the “sacrifices” he made for the country.However, his emotionally surcharged speech and stern warnings to the “corrupt” at Goa and Belgaum failed to impress the Opposition.Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, whose party Modi appeared to be targeting when he talked of eradicating “70 years of corruption”, tweeted: “First laughter now tears! Mediocrity comes face to face with reality.”Taking on the Congress directly, Modi said: “I know what kind of powers I have taken on. I know the kind of people who will be against me now. I am looting what they had accumulated over 70 years.”He also warned of more action against the corrupt, including those holding “benami” money and property. “I have more projects in mind to make India corruption-free. Cooperate with me and help me for 50 days and I will give you the India you desired,” the PM said in Goa.In Belgaum, he said his “government would not spare the guilty. There is pain but what is more important is the gain for the country”.The PM’s primary aim was to reach out to people and assuage some of the growing impatience due to the fallout of his decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. “Yes, I also feel the pain. These steps taken were not a display of arrogance. I have seen poverty and understand people’s problems. I was not born to sit on a chair of high office,” he said.“Whatever I had, my family, my home… I left all of it for the nation,” he said, choking up. “I know they are against me. They may not let me live. They may finish me because their loot of 70 years is in trouble. But I am prepared,” he declared.

New Rs 500 note at SBI head office in New Delhi on Sunday. PTINew Delhi:  The Centre on Sunday night raised the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 note exchange limit at bank counters to Rs 4,500 from Rs 4,000 and withdrawal at ATMs to Rs 2,500 from Rs 2,000.  Now, Rs 24,000 per week can be withdrawan from banks, up from Rs 20,000 and the daily withdrawal limit of Rs10,000 has been removed.The Ministry of Finance also advised banks to increase the Business Correspondents’ limit to Rs 2,500 for withdrawal from accounts.The Centre had initially placed a cap on ATM withdrawal at Rs 2,000, from accounts at Rs 10,000 per day with a weekly limit of Rs 20,000 and exchange of currency at Rs 4,000, Banks have been advised to make arrangements for separate queues for senior citizens and Divyang persons. The last date of submission of annual life certificate for government pensioners has also been extended to January 15, 2017 instead of November-end.Separate queues will also be arranged for exchange of cash-to-cash transactions.Banks have been advised to increase the issuance of mobile wallets and debit or credit cards as also to provide them to those not having access. On reports that  hospitals, caterers, tent houses and others are not accepting cheques, demand drafts or online payment, the government advised the people to complain to the District Magistrate or authorities concerned in this regard. — TNS

Some in BJP fear it may turn self-goal

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13

With the patience of common man thinning and Opposition’ attack getting fiercer, and more personal, there is now a certain degree of unease within the BJP over political fall-out of the much-celebrated and appreciated demonetisation move.BJP chief Amit Shah may have been effectively able to counter allegations of political foes like Mayawati (BSP), Rahul Gandhi (Congress), the Samajwadi Party and Arvind Kejriwal (AAP) with questions on their “intent”, but it seems there are worries over negative perceptions created due to continued travails and hardships of the common man.Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anti-black money move is all set create a storm in Parliament by an “unimpressed” Opposition, which the BJP leadership is clearly not worried about. BJP leaders are in fact “looking forward to it” to expose the “corrupt” Opposition parties.What they seem to be worried about is eroding of a certain degree of support and goodwill the PM’s move initially earned because of “growing doubts” about the government’s “unpreparedness to handle the situation”.All fingers are crossed for continued cooperation from the people, and that the move does not end up as a “self goal” for the party.The Prime Minister is keeping a “close watch on the ground situation”, BJP leaders say, assuring that the situation will normalise soon. His three public appearances in the past two days are all aimed at connecting directly with the people, they add.Significantly, many BJP leaders, in private, agree that the decision could perhaps have been executed in a “more refined” manner to ensure lesser problems to the people.Given the current chaos, including certain reports of “photocopies” of Rs 2,000 currency being passed on to unsuspecting people, they agree that instead of issuing a cumbersome high-denomination note, the demonetisation planners should perhaps have thought of introducing smaller denomination notes.”Perhaps the new currency could have been designed in a way that did not require reconfiguration of ATMs,” they argue.

First laughter, now tears: Rahul on PM’s speeches

• New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, posting two videos of the latter’s speech on his official Twitter account. “First laughter now tears! Mediocrity comes face to face with reality,” Gandhi wrote along with a clipping of Modi’s speech in Goa. Modi, who broke down during his speech in Goa, said his dramatic decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes had placed him in the crosshairs of what he said were “vested interests”, but vowed to end black money and corruption with more projects. — IANS

DEMONETISATION

Chaos swells, patience thins

Bank staff targeted at a few places as no end to serpentine queues outside banks, ATMs

People queue up at an ATM to withdraw money in Jabalpur on Sunday. The queue formation started much before daybreak in many parts of the country. PTI

New Delhi, November 13

Appeals by Prime Minister and finance minister notwithstanding, frustration and anger among citizens to get their share of valid notes for meeting daily needs swelled as banks tripped with non-functional ATMs and cash running out of branches at many places.Unprecedented rush at bank branches was seen all over the country, with people jostling to get new cash today itself because of a holiday in many parts of the country on Monday. However, despite standing in queues for hours, many had to return empty handed due to cash shortage.Much to people’s dismay, most ATMs remained out of cash on the third consecutive day after they reopened on November 11. People in distress started queuing up before the branches across the country right from the day-break itself and the wait to get cash got even longer today. Women and the elderly were the worst sufferers.“I was compelled to go to the bank as I had very little cash, but a huge, frightening queue at the branch sent chills down my spine. But I could gather courage to even stand in the queue,” said Suniti Gupta, an elderly woman from Kanpur.Such tales became quite common. Many people are forgoing their day’s wage to get cash from the branches as daily wagers are almost broke since Rs 500/1,000 notes are not valid currency since Tuesday midnight.

Clash at UP bank

In Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh, angry people clashed with bank employees and threw stones at the branch at Sujru village, leaving three persons, including a woman, injured.The police said as the branch ran out of new notes, the people who had gathered there in large numbers clashed with bank employees. Over a hundred people have been booked in connection with the incident.In the national capital, people continued to face hardship as they queued up in large numbers outside banks and ATMs to get cash to meet their daily need.

Arguments outside ATMs

Heated arguments were exchanged as cash in ATMs and banks ran dry as the day drew to an end. Security was beefed up outside bank branches, after there were rumours about stampede, people plundering goods from a mall in Seelampur yesterday. “Since it’s a Sunday, we expected more crowds outside banks and ATMs. We made adequate security arrangements to ensure no untoward incident occurs,” said a senior police official.

Paramilitary deployed

To manage anxious crowds, 3,400 personnel of paramilitary and Delhi Police along with 200 quick reaction teams have been deployed at ATMs and banks. At many places, people were seen running from one ATM to other as the machines ran out of cash.Long, snaking queues continued to be seen outside banks and ATMs in Mumbai with those facing cash paucity complaining about having to wait for hours as the bank branches themselves were running short of currency notes. Longer queues were seen outside public sector banks where a sizeable number of account holders are retired persons and senior citizens. There was increased anxiety among some customers as the bank staff took longer time to process their cash request.Some people with accounts in cooperative banks in Maharashtra complained that they took longer time to get their money exchanged from such banks because of the cash crunch. — PTI

Jail those with Swiss bank accounts“Ever since this order has come, there is panic in every household… Instead, jail those with illegal Swiss bank accounts” — Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi CM

People must cooperate

“I urge people to cooperate with the government to clean up the system. When there is a war, soldiers face many hardships and starve for weeks” —— Ramdev, yoga guruNo right to hurt people “It is good if PM Modi had left his home and family for the country. But this does not mean that he acts against public interest and hurts the common people”  — Mayawati, BSP chief

Probe prior deals

“They (the BJP) had informed their people about the move. A list needs to be drawn about all transactions done prior to the announcement” —Anand Sharma, cong leader

Rajnath, Jaitley review situation

• New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday took stock of the prevailing situation in the country in the wake of demonetisation. In an hour-long meeting, the two ministers were briefed about the situation in different states where heavy rush was witnessed in banks and ATMs to change old notes and withdraw cash. The Home Ministry has deputed three officials to be in touch with state governments to ensure security of banks, ATMs and cash transporting vehicles.

A test of patience

Inconvenience and anger, but mostly approval

The Prime Minister’s announcement of on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes has generally been received cheerfully but not many had braced themselves for inconveniences unfolding day after day since the “surgical strike” on black money. The need for usable currency for day-to-day needs keeps asserting itself. The sudden withdrawal of some 85 per cent of the currency has created problems, some perhaps avoidable, which have invited the political attention of Rahul Gandhi as well as Arvind Kejriwal. Political rhetoric is expected in such situations. By and large, people are facing difficulties with patience without breaking into protests. The banks have been called upon to undertake this gigantic task at a short notice and the employees have risen to the occasion uncomplainingly. But seeing long queues outside banks, it is only natural to wonder if the government could have been more efficient in handling the currency switchover. Many ATMs are dispensing hundred rupee notes and machines, it seems, have not been calibrated to handle the new currency notes. Over the years, banks have replaced human tellers with ATMs and this is creating difficulties now. People, too, have been less than prudent in making their demands on the banks by insisting on depositing demonetised notes into their accounts well before the end-of-the-year deadline. Small businesses, especially those that deal with perishable goods like milk and vegetables, have been badly hit. So are service providers such as barbers, rickshaw-pullers and daily-wage labourers dependent on day-to-day cash earnings, which have dried up. They are the ones who feel the real pain of the move. The rural areas, ill-served by banks and ATMs, are facing the brunt of the shortage of cash for their daily needs. Even as people feel a sense of vindication at the government’s blow to the big hoarders of cash, they are becoming acutely aware that not everyone has been equally affected. Easy cash availability and plastic money have rescued the urban well-off from dal-roti worries. Left to fend for themselves, villagers have been denied easy-to-access cash-exchange facilities. Some are frequently at a disadvantage, while others have means to bail them out of crisis situations.

TATE OF AFFAIRS RAJASTHAN

Demonetisation hits life, politics, trade alike

Women queue up outside a bank to exchange their old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in Beawar. PTI

Yash Goyal (Rajasthan)

Rajasthan, like other states, is bearing the brunt of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in all sectors. The common man, controlling his anger in the name of ‘Rashtrahit’ (national interest), is queuing up every morning at banks and ATMs to get the much-needed cash.Despite an emergency-like situation, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, her Cabinet colleagues and even Governor Kalyan Singh are hailing Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s decision as a landmark step in the post-Independence history to curb black money.Raje’s tentative plan of Cabinet expansion, the state BJP’s organisational makeover, and the Opposition’s strategy to challenge the saffron government’s third anniversary next month are all hanging in balance due to chaos over demonetisation. Apprehending IT and taxation wings’ raids after rumours of selling gold against black money, jem and jewellery trade in Rajasthan had come down from Rs 25 crore to Rs 25 lakh daily, Saraf Traders’ Committee president Kailash Mittal said. Foreigners on tourism are also feeling the pinch due to the cash limit and non-availability of exchange.Punjab polls Gehlot’s litmus testLike the BJP, which put patriarch LK Advani and MM Joshi on sidelines after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, the Congress also faces a peculiar and unpredictable process of phasing out senior leaders from their own state by assigning them political jobs either in other states or at the national level.The Rajasthan Congress’ history reveals that former party leaders Nathuram Mirdha, Ramniwas Mirdha, Seesh Ram Ola, Natwar Singh, Kamla Beniwal, Pandit Nawal Kishore Sharma, Girija Vyas, CP Joshi and Mohan Prakash were eliminated from local politics and given important posts, ministerial berths, gubernatorial responsibility or election assignments.Those who were taken out of Rajasthan for the party work were mostly Jats and a few pundits, so as to avoid their interference in the government formation when the party had come to power in the past. There has always been a demand in both the Congress and BJP for Chief Minister from a Jat community but it has been neglected.Sources in the Congress believe that two-time former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s assignment as chairman of the Screening Committee for Punjab poll is an indication towards phasing him out ahead of the Assembly elections in 2018.This is also because PCC president Sachin Pilot (who is non-Jat) has been hitting every constituency with overwhelming response of party workers and leaders of all castes. In past rallies, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, had also showed his inclination towards Pilot to lead in the state as he revived the party with better scoring of vote share in the Assembly bypolls, panchayati raj and civic elections. Gehlot’s performance in Punjab polls falling early next year would be a litmus test for him whether he would be given some other assignments or kept somewhere else, sources indicated.Event after event delays Cabinet expansionRaje’s Cabinet expansion and formation of a new state BJP executive have been put on hold for the past two months due to Chikungunya afflicting the Chief Minister, Diwali festivities, permission from the Sangh Pariwar and recently concluded agriculture meet. With BJP national joint general secretary V Satish’s scheduled stay third time till November 16 in Jaipur, there are possibilities of a Cabinet reshuffle and organisational changeover now, party sources hinted.Cong leaders uneasy over ‘dalbadlu Jats’Two BJP Jat leaders, former Union Minister Subhash Maharia and Dr Hari Singh, shifting their allegiance to the Congress has not only caused ripples in the party’s Sikar-Jhunjhunu belt of the Jat community, but has also warned the ruling Raje government to review and keep its flock intact.Congress leaders Mahadev Singh Khandela, Chandrabhan and Bajrang Singh Kankorlia have told the party high command that “dalbadlu Jats” would not be a good preposition and left a bad message, even thouh the Pilot’s group has favoured the joining of the two leaders.BJP MP Sona Ram, Jat leader who had defeated Jaswant Singh (Independent) from Barmer, said,” The Raje government has given ministerial portfolios to five Rajputs, what Jat MLAs and MPs have got? Difficult to tame Jat flocks… the elected Jat community is annoyed as Rajput community ministers are dominating the ruling party….recent example is of Raj Mahal Palace controversy where the government bowed down. I have apprised Raje of this who is my only leader”.

Meena alias Mina controversy

On continuing insistence, the government has withdrawn two controversial notifications of 2014 by which it had differentiated between “Meena and Mina” terms (spelling mistake) for reservation to the community as a Scheduled Tribe which challenged it in the High Court last year. Not satisfied with this, NPP president Kirorilal Meena demanded that the Centre should also issue similar notification otherwise his agitation would continue on other 30 demands, too.

Demonetisation: Woes of bank customers continue

People wait for their turn in long queues outside a bank in Gurugram on Sunday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, November 13

Chaos continues to prevail in the city after demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The city struggles with currency shortage of around Rs 400 crore. The weekend was marked by run for new currency as malls, markets and even roads wore a deserted look and rush, chaos and high tempers run high at banks and ATMs.“Banks had recently communicated that given to the economic status of the city, it required a minimum of Rs 500 crore in new currency. We have so far got Rs 100 crore since the money has to be equally distributed across the 21 districts of Haryana. We have apprised the state government and senior officials about the need and hopefully, things will improve soon. The administration is closely monitoring the entire process,” said Deputy Commissioner TL Satya Prakash.The police have posted special officers to prevent unwanted incidents in view of long queues for exchange of currency notes.“There are queues but no law and order problems. We are maintaining discipline and security here and even banks have been asked to step up security at the ATMs,” said Commissioner of Police Sandeep Khirwar.

Roadways’ revenue dips

Jhajjar: Local depot of the Haryana Roadways has witnessed a decrease of 20 per cent in its revenue during the past five days due to the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.Though the roadways employees are accepting the scrapped currency from passengers following the directives of the Reserve Bank of India, they are finding it hard to return the balance amount to the commuters due to acute scarcity of small denomination notes.“Over 20 per cent fall has been recorded in the revenue of the Jhajjar depot as people are avoiding travelling in the buses for not having small or new denomination notes. Before monetisation, the revenue of the depot was over Rs 11 lakh per day which has now reduced to around Rs 9 lakh,” said Balwant Singh Godara, General Manager, Jhajjar Roadways Depot.Migrants feel the heatKarnal: With harvesting season of paddy coming to an end, a large number of migrant labourers, mainly from Bihar and UP, are finding it difficult to deposit money in bank accounts.They are running from pillar to post as many of them do not have their bank accounts and usually deposit money in bank accounts of their wives or other relatives.With strict norms enforced by the banks for depositing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, a person has to submit the photocopy of any identity proof if he has to deposit money in some other bank account.Jaggu Ram, a labourer from Bihar, said that he wanted to deposit Rs 14,000 in the bank account of his wife, but was refused by the bank authorities as he had no identity proof. Before the demonetisation process, he had deposited Rs 4,000 in his wife’s account from the same bank on October 27, he added.People left high and dryBhiwani: The long queues outside banks and ATMs saw no end on the fourth consecutive day today. People thronged the local bank branches as early as 8am to exchange defunct currency notes. However, their efforts did not bear results after bank officials refused to give cash on withdrawal slips citing lack of cash availability.“I have been standing in a queue since 10am to withdraw Rs 10,000 from my account, but when my turn came in the afternoon, bank officials handed out only Rs 2000, citing lack of cash with them”, said Ram Mehar, a local resident.Pawan Kumar, an electrician from a nearby village, said that banks in the rural areas had not received new currency notes so far and the ATMs were lying defunct.Rajesh Kumar, a local businessman said: “My daughter, who studies in Noida, wants to come home but she does not have cash and due to long queues outside banks, I am unable to transfer money to her.”Bhagwan Dass, Branch Manager, Cooperative Bank, said that they were only depositing the old currency notes and not exchanging the notes. He said that his branch had not received cash from the main branch.

Withdraw money as per need, says Khattar

• Rohtak: People standing in queue in front of a bank were taken by surprise as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar got down from his car and walked up to them here on Sunday. He asked those queued up about the difficulties being faced by them. The CM advised them to withdraw cash only as per their requirement. Khattar also advised traders to get the new currency notes deposited in banks on a day-to-day basis so that other people could withdraw cash as and when required. Talking to reporters later, the CM asserted that the Prime Minister’s decision to demonetise the big currency notes was a bold step taken in the larger interest. Cash-availability would improve soon, he added.

Hisar MP hails move

• Hisar: Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala has welcomed the Centre’s decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. He has also urged people to bear with the initial problems, adding, it would strengthen the economy and benefit the countrymen in the long run. In a statement, Dushyant said he would write to the PM for lowering of interest rates so that the poor and middle-class families could avail loans.

EFFECTS OF DEMONETISATION

People harassed as cash inflow remains a trickle

A serpentine queue of the people, who wait for their turn to exchange phased out currency notes, outside the branch of a nationalised bank in Amritsar on Saturday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 12

Residents from all walks of life were highly inconvenienced in absence of limited cash flow in the market.Liquidity crisis forced the people to stand outside branches of the state-run and private banks as early as 9 am and even before. However, closed and dried up ATMs turned into eyesores.There was no order in queues as young and old, women and men, lined up waiting for their turn. Serpentine and winding rows dangerously occupied maximum areas of roads leaving no space for plying of vehicles.Meanwhile, there were no policemen or women present to manage the traffic and long queues.An employee Bhupinder Singh, standing outside a nationalised bank at Town Hall, said most currency at his house was in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination, which could no longer be used. “Though we have been able to procure essential kitchen items from grocery and green stores being run by private companies, there are many family exigencies, which require money,” he quipped.He added that his son Pushpinder Singh was to travel to Chandigarh for attending an interview on November 14. So, he could not take any risk, but to arrange money by standing in a queue.Arti Sharma, another customer of a private bank on the Mall road, said she had been visiting the branch for the past two days, but the staff had a terse reply that cash arrived and was exhausted in a few minutes. She was frustrated to find the shutters of the ATM down. She said now the bank staff had told her to come in the evening. She added that with two minor children to look after and a regular job it was an uphill task to visit the bank branch twice a day.Another bank customer, NS Gabarhia was irked at the staff of three different banks on Court Road, Link Road and Mall Road as they downed their shutters at 5 pm yesterday. He said it was a clear violation of the government direction that these branches must remain open up to 7 pm.Meanwhile, parents were unable to deposit school fee of their children on time. They had sought extension in the last date for payment of fee.A parent on the condition of anonymity said his two children were studying in the school on Lawrence Road. He said after a struggle of four hours he managed to reach cash counter, but was extremely dejected when the staff there refused to accept the fee in the demonetised currency, which is no longer a legal tender. He confronted the staff and they replied that they were acting as per the school’s directions. He added that banks were accepting all kinds of old notes, but not the school fee.

Banks, ATMs run out of cash, residents of patience

PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh meets residents outside a bank in the Civil Lines area.

Bathinda, November 13

Residents from all walks of life faced inconvenience due to the limited cash flow in the market.Liquidity crisis has forced people to stand outside branches of banks as early as 9 am and even earlier.People, including senior citizens, students, women, office-goers, were seen waiting for their turn at money outlets throughout the city.Most of them said they needed liquid cash for their daily expenses as they only had currency notes, which were recently demonetised by the Centre.Banks were opened today but heated argument were reported at various branches as bank officials had partially pulled down their shutters after they went out of cash late afternoon.Akshay Kumar, a resident of Tagore Nagar, said, “We went to a private bank today to withdraw cash but after standing for hours, bank officials pulled down the shutter and said the bank was closed as they ran out of cash.”Sanjiv Gupta, another city resident, said there was chaos at the bank as no separate queue was made for senior citizens and women.Another resident Shikha Garg said she had been visiting the bank for the past two days but the staff had a terse reply that the cash arrived but it was distributed in a few minutes. She was frustrated to find the shutters of the ATM down again.Satvinder Singh, a resident of Model Town, said, “I need to exchange my currency notes immediately. I waited for more than two hours at the bank for it.”An SBoP official said they were working hard but the rush of people was high and cash supply was less. — TNS

ATMs run out of cash, public suffers

A woman takes a break as people stand in a queue to get their currency notes exchanged outside a bank in Sector 35, Chandigarh, on Sunday Tribune Photo: S Chandan

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

The public continued to face harassment for the fifth day with people queuing up outside ATMs. A majority of the ATMs across the city were shut due to a shortage of cash. The situation in banks was also more or less the same, with many of these running out of cash by the evening.A majority of the ATMs in Sectors 15, 17, 19, 20, 27, 28, 34, 35, 42, 44 and 46 were found shut as there was unavailability of cash.In the absence of enough ATMs, people who were in the need of money had no option but to join the long queues.Serpentine queues were witnessed at several ATMs in southern sectors.Vishal Dhiman, a resident of Sector 15, said after trying three ATMs in Sector 15, he visited Sector 9, but failed to get cash from any of the ATMs. “Of the six ATMs of different banks in Sector 15, four were not working,” he said.Many private banks had displayed placards at ATM kiosks stating that the machines were out of order. Manpreet Kaur, a PG, said she went to withdraw money from ATMs in Sector 28, but all of these had run out of cash. People had to visit nearby sectors to withdraw cash from ATMs. Many ATMs at Bank Square in Sector 17 were without cash even though Bank Square houses a large number of banks. Being a Sunday, people thronged banks near their houses to either exchange old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes or to withdraw money.Meanwhile, policemen were stationed outside banks to prevent any untoward incident.

Centralised server conks out

• The centralised server meant for the exchange of currency conked out for a few hours in the afternoon, leading to chaos at all banks. The server was fixed by the evening following which the banks again started accepting money.
• Earlier, while exchanging money, manual entries were made by banks for the first three days. However, after knowing that each individual was visiting different banks to exchange the money over the prescribed limit, the RBI introduced online entries to stop people from repeatedly using their ID proofs.

Respite for bank, post office staff

• After working overtime tirelessly for four days, the bank and post office staff will get a day’s rest as both banks and post offices will remain closed on Monday on account of Gurpurb

Supply of essential goods affected

Cash crunch comes in way of transporters’ business, situation may worsen

Trucks parked on the roadside at the Transport Area in Sector 26, Chandigarh, on Sunday. Tribune Photo: Nitin Mittal

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

The supply of essential goods such as vegetables, fruits, medicines, cloth and electrical goods has been affected following scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as truckers are finding it difficult to transport items to their respective destinations on time.KK Abrol, president of the Chandigarh Transporter Association, said business had almost come to a halt as no trucker was booking new assignments. He said, “Since everything in the city comes from outside, the situation may turn worse in the coming days. He said the transport business was largely dependent on cash for expenses on the route such as fuel purchase, payments to the state authorities, repairs and payments for loading and unloading. In the absence of cash, it was not possible to send drivers to other states.He said truckers had no option but to either cancel the already booked assignments or delay these further as nobody had new currency.Another truck owner said, “Companies and individuals have failed to provided us sufficient currency and we cannot take old currency.”Harish Garg, president of the Confederation of All-India Traders, said traders were not  getting goods on time and  the government must ensure that the services of transporters ran smoothly.   Fruit & vegetable market feels the pinchCash crunch continued to affect business at the fruit and vegetable market in Sector 26  on Sunday. The  supply of vegetables and fruits has been hit after the  scrapping of Rs 500  and Rs 1,000 notes. A vegetable trader at the mandi said there were few buyers and even they were buying limited   stuff due  to shortage of new notes. Earlier, they  used to buy vegetables  for a week, but now they are buying supplies for only a day or two. He said perishable items such as tomatoes were the worst affected.Brijmohan, vice-president of the Sabji Mandi Arhtiya Association, said traders’ business had been affected.

A section of the BJP is keeping fingers crossed that the black money culling attempt does not backfire in coming days. —AFP

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 13

As patience of the common man runs out and the Opposition attack gets fiercer by the day, worries are creeping in the BJP over the demonitisation move and its implications over the party’s future prospects.

The “economy-stalling, common-people harassment move”, as the Opposition is labelling Prime Minister Narinder Modi’s sudden decision, is all set to create a storm in Parliament in the coming week.

Even as they bravely defend the move,  a section of the BJP is keeping fingers crossed that the black money culling attempt does not end up as a “self goal” for the party in the days to come.

Sources say the Prime Minister himself is keeping a “close watch on the developments” and is also expected to hold a formal review meeting to assess the exact ground situation.

In any case, several BJP leaders in private agree that the decision, believed to be a brainchild of the Prime Minister and his lieutenant Amit Shah aided by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his team, could have been “more refined and perhaps more well-designed”.

This, despite Shah’s assertion two days back that the BJP was not worried about the political fallout and Jaitley’s “stern warning” to the Opposition against “misinformation”.

Going by the current state of affairs, some BJP leaders agree that instead of issuing the cumbersome high-denomination Rs 2,000 currency, the demonetisation planners could have thought of a smaller denomination note in order to reduce some of the misery that the common people are currently facing. “Something that would not have required changes in the ATM,” they say.

Moreover, the fierce attack against the government by some “perceivable clean” Opposition leaders like AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and TMC’s Mamata Banerjee seem to be drawing favour from those standing in the long queues waiting for their turn to withdraw their money.

“Their argument that none of those standing in bank queues have black money and are actually common people is sounding more relevant than our arguments in the current circumstances. People are supporting us but the continuous attack that BJP leaders were aware of the move is creating doubts and is bound to create negative perceptions.

“The Prime Minister has promised further action, but if none is seen against those holding big money or actually, indulging in nefarious monetary activities, the advantage will be lost,” the BJP leaders say, amid assurance that the next strike would be against “benami property holders”.

“Do not think that this is it. This exercise is a part of a long chain of events, which also includes crackdown against illegal account holders off-shore,” they assure.

The Opposition attack is primarily based on the premise that people in the queues do not have the black money and that “friends” of the BJP had been warned about the move long before it was actually implemented on the ground.

BJP leaders claim that by the end of the exercise around Rs 4 lakh crore would have been deposited in the banks and the black money three times this amount (around Rs 12 lakh crore)  eliminated. However, as per Kejriwal, “the black money has already been “rotated” in property, jewellery and Forex and landed in BJP accounts” may draw favour from harrowed common people standing in long queues to get what is their rightful dues.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 3

Lt Gen Suresh Sharma, DG, Border Roads, visited Project Beacon and Project Sampark areas, especially the under-construction Bhaderwah-Bani-Basohli road which will provide an alternative road connectivity from Punjab to the Kashmir valley through Bhaderwah and Doda.He also visited Chattergala Pass to check the feasibility of construction of a tunnel for providing all-weather connectivity.During the visit, the DG, emphasised on the need to expedite the progress of work while maintaining high quality. The DG took stock of the situation and discussed various issues with the Chief Engineers of Project Beacon and Project Sampark.

Warplane represents leap forward in projecting might in sky

Zhuhai, November 1

Two of China’s secretive J-20 warplanes swept over a gasping crowd at the Zhuhai air show today, potent symbols of Beijing’s aspirations to military might. The jets were not announced on the schedule and appeared in the sky just after a colourful aerobatics show by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.With no fanfare but an abrupt announcement by the master of ceremonies, the dark, powerful jets rumbled side by side over the sun-baked spectators. Two minutes later, one blasted vertically into the sky and the jets were gone. Swift and heavily armed, the warplanes represent a leap forward in China’s ability to project power in Asia and compete in capabilities with the US. Beijing is seeking to modernise and upgrade its military both to protect its borders and project power into regions such as the South China Sea.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)This year’s Zhuhai exhibition, the largest ever, features an array of new made-in-China military technology, including assault vehicles, anti-aircraft missile systems, unmanned drones, and fighter jets. China’s only international aerospace expo, it serves as a stage for Beijing to flex its muscles before an audience of cheering citizens and foreign guests from 42 countries. — AFP

‘Made in China’ plan

• China is projected to become the world’s largest aviation market by 2024
• Boeing and Airbus are in a heated competition to win Chinese customers for their aircraft
• President Xi Jinping has declared aerospace one of the target industries for his ‘Made in China 2025’ plan

Pakistan has a new Army Chief. In Pakistan’s scheme of things, this is a very consequential appointment. Two former Indian army generals (retd.) offer their asssement about the change of guard at the Rawalpindi General Headquarters.

LITTLE ELSE CHANGES: The incoming chief will adhere to the prescriptions by the Deep State but should avoid personal wars of his own, especially towards the end of his tenure

Nawaz Sharif has the dubious distinction of a fractious relationship with all five Chiefs of Army Staff he has worked with, including the three that he chose himself.It started with his first handpicked choice of General Waheed Kakar (superseding four senior officers) in 1993 subsequently reneging and pressurising Nawaz Sharif to tender his resignation as the Prime Minister. The next General that Nawaz Sharif had to deal with was General Jehangir Karamat (choice of the previous Benazir Bhutto government), and soon the irreconcilable disagreement between the two flared up, leading to the general’s premature resignation. Having burnt his fingers, Nawaz wanted to play absolutely safe. He superseded a ‘pliant’ Mohajir Gen Pervez Musharraf. He soon demonstrated his independent adventurism with Kargil and finally Nawaz Sharif was bumped off and exiled in a bloodless coup. In his third return to power in 2013, Nawaz had to ‘manage’ a cold and unpredictable Gen Pervez Kayani (chosen by his bête noire, Gen  Musharaf in 2007). After he ‘hung his boots as promised (after an  extension), Nawaz quickly pounced upon the opportunity to make his third personal choice in Gen Raheel Sharif.Bobby (Gen Sharif’s pet name), like the new chief, was not the frontrunner and therefore seemed a ‘safe’ choice who could oblige! Except, Bobby too, would prove otherwise. He had lived his fairly illustrious military life in the shadow of his brother’s legacy, the late Major Rana Shabbir Sharif (recipient of Pakistan’s highest gallantry award, ‘Nishan-e-Haider’ in 1971 war). Bobby was always struggling to ‘live up’ to the proud legacy of his elder brother, who incidentally was the batch mate of Gen Pervez Musharraf. Belonging to the proud martial stock of the Janjua clan, Gen Raheel Sharif was the quintessential Pakistani general – barrel chested, plain speaking and perceptibly nationalistic. Soon, he would follow the independent streak that typifies the generals in the ‘Army House’ in the manicured cantonment town of Rawalpindi, as opposed to the despised politicos in Islamabad.Expectedly, General Raheel Sharif came into his own and decided on the national narrative by taking on homegrown terror (after the Peshawar school massacre) and started defining the contours of foreign policy with dashes to Kabul, Riyadh, Washington, Beijing etc. on briefs that went beyond military matters. A hapless Nawaz Sharif was often left suffering the indignity of  making political retractions (post Ufa summit), policy flip-flops (with India) and getting lectured on domestic corruption (after ‘Panamagate’) by his Chief of Army Staff. Today, with the ensuing ‘selective’ war on terror, the ‘Panamagate’ expose and the flaring volatility on the LOC, made the Pakistani armed forces and Gen Raheel Sharif in particular, the real McCoy in Pakistan. By keeping his word on retirement, Gen. Sharif has further strengthened his legacy, and importantly of the Pakistani armed forces. Bobby won all the battles against the politicos, and built-up the relevance and favourable perception of the parallel institution, the armed forces. Bobby ensured that he could indulge in leisurely game hunts, whilst, the institution retains the glint in its bayonets, without having to resort to unnecessary formality and complexities of a military coup d’état.   Gen Bajwa is the fourth time Nawaz Sharif has made a selection on his own. Unsurprisingly, his supposed apoliticalness and low profile ensured that he too, hopped over four generals. His credentials are eerily similar to those of Gen Raheel Sharif — both were ‘dark horses’, both were IG (Training and Insp) before elevation, both are of Punjabi stock and supposedly, apolitical. However, a careful analysis of the Pakistani military history bears out the deep institutional truth, of a close-knit decision-making network that operates through a guarded and consultative grouping of corps commanders, which toes its own line. The military institution is larger than the individual, and the institution takes care of its own – the brazen freedom afforded on Gen Musharraf is a testimony. Clearly, Gen Bajwa does not carry the operational scars of the Indo-Pak war (he joined the Baloch Regiment in 1980) or suffered a personal angularity like that of Gen Raheel Sharif’s family in the `71 war. However, his familial credentials of military upbringing are impeccable, with both his father and father-in-law having served in the Pakistani Army. Gen Bajwa is the veritable inheritor of the well-oiled Pakistani military juggernaut, with carefully selected military men well ensconced in sensitive positions like the NSA (Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua) and the ISI chief (Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar) to oversee the seamless continuum of operations.The present arrangement of an ostensible civilian government, with the reigns firmly in the hands of the burly military men works perfectly fine for the institution of the Pakistani armed forces. No perceptible change of strategic track is envisaged by the strategists in New Delhi. Nawaz Sharif has personally punted thrice before and got it terribly wrong. Gen Bajwa is the fourth time Nawaz has thrown the dice in a perennial power struggle that he has always lost, so far.The writer is a former Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry

INTERESTING FACTS

• Pak has appointed 16 Chiefs including Bajwa but the first two were British.
• Gul Hassan was sacked after the `71 defeat. Zia and Asif Nawaz Junjua died in harness. Karamat was eased out.
• Three took over the reins — Ayub Khan, Zia and Musharraf. Ayub made himself Field Marshal. Yahya Khan became President after Ayub.
• All three Pak Army Chiefs who took over the reigns remained COAS, some preferring Army House over President House.
• The longest tenure was by Gen Zia (12 years) and the shortest by Gul Hassan (less than 3 months).
• Most were from Infantry with Armored Corps having three (Gul Hassan, Zia and Jahangir Karamat) and Artillery two (Tikka Khan and Mushraff).
• Nawaz appointed five while his move to appoint Ziauddin to replace Mushraff was scuttled.
• Baloch Regiment has given the maximum of four Chiefs (Yahya, Aslam Beg, Kayani and Bajwa)

Jaipur, November 28

A former Army man died today while standing in a bank queue to withdraw cash in Ladnu city of Nagaur district. Veteran Prahalad Singh, 70, who had queued up at State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur’s Ladnu branch at 9 am, fainted and died soon after the bank opened, Ladnu SHO NM Kumawat said.On November 19, former servicemen Ratna Ram, 75, died in a bank queue at Pilani. With today’s death, five persons have lost their lives so far in Rajasthan following the demonetisation decision. Meanwhile, ‘Bharat Bandh’ against the demonetisation evoked a poor response in the state capital as big businessmen did not support the Opposition parties’ call.Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot said the party was just supporting the cause and not participating in ‘Akrosh Bandh’. No untoward incident was reported so far in Rajasthan, a senior cop of the police headquarters claimed. — OC