Demonetisation - Not a rupee to exchange - Not a word of complaint
I met this girl Sumitra in Cherrapunjee yesterday. It rains in Cherrapunjee, not notes, but plain water. She told me on 9th November, she did not have a single 500 rupee note or 1000 rupee note and she doesn't have any money in any bank. On a good day she makes about 500 rupees selling snacks to tourists. She is married and has two children. Her business enterprise is shattered because of demonetization. Smart people from the cities are eager to pass on their useless 500 rupee notes to her. I saw at least two persons telling her that they don't have any money other than the 500 rupee notes. But she is firm - they are not legal. And the rich customers who were lying produce 100 rupee notes. She has no remorse, no complaint and she doesn't blame the Government; doesn't expect the government to help her. "why should the government help me", she asks me, "I am healthy; I can stand on my own feet." She believes that the 'inconvenience' will be only for a short time and good days are ahead. Her children study in an English Medium School and she has faith that they will have a bright future - for that she is prepared to work hard and is proud of her work. She was prepared to give me a discount of ten rupees on my bill but flatly refused to take the excess ten rupees I offered her. She even invited me to her house. I am honoured. Here is my co-citizen who is so confident and who doesn't expect anything from the government, even in a crisis. I look so little before her. You wonder how I communicated with her. This girl who studied up to the tenth class speaks fluent English. I wish she could be enlisted to draft some of our laws.