Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Jan 8: A people’s referendum over the impact of demonetization on common people and vulnerable sections after the 50 days time sought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved the government’s claim of having ended hardships to the people false. Moreover, the referendum shows that the demonetization has not curbed corruption, rather made the life harder for common people.
The referendum was conducted during a 3-day Janmat Padyatra by social activists and students across the national capital covering people from different walks of life like domestic workers, students, auto-rickshaw drivers, construction workers. They shared their grueling experience on the “Note Ban” through their voting.
Responding to the survey question – “Note Ban caused suffering for the common people rather than the corrupt – and people’s suffering continues even after 50 days have passed: YES or NO?”, more than 90% of the respondents responded in positive. Some 48,756 out of total 53,227 votes polled during Janmat Padyatra voted YES to the question and 4,259 (that is just 8%) voted NO to the question.
The Janmat Padyatra culminated into a public meeting at Jantar Mantar here on Sunday.
“We have been severely affected. We can’t manage to pay the tuition fees of our children and are unable to get food for them,” Shakuntla Devi, a labor told IndiaTomorrow.net at the public meeting.
Dharmveer Brijwasi, said, “Demonitisation has highly affected us. Many laborers are leaving from here and returning back to their homes due to no work here.”
Dilshad, a daily wager said, “First we don’t get work, if get then don’t get wages on time. How do I pay rent and how do I run my family?”
Amar Singh, a painter said, “Our work has totally stopped. If we get Rs 500/- wages we have to use it with lower denomination in Rs 400/- . Modi ji did nothing after 50 days.”
Tasleema, mother of two sons who work as labor said, “Modi has brought us on road. I have two sons; they are unable to get work.”
The Janmat Padyatra started on 6th January covered dozens of localities including Narela, Mukundpur, Jahangirpuri, Wazirpur, Vijay Nagar, Kalyanpuri, Mandawali, Vasant Vihar, Sangam Vihar, Najafgarh, Vinod Nagar, Chandra Vihar, Budh Vihar- Munirka , Lakshmi Nagar, Shakarpur, Mukherjee Nagar, Deoli Village and Mukundpur.
CPIML Polit Bureau Member Kavita Krishnan also spoke to IndiaTomorrow.net. “Wherever we went during this Janmat Padyatra, all the labours and women said that demonetizations might have not affected rich people but their life has been severely affected. People remember the promise of 50days and they are very angry after not getting any relief. They became unemployed.”
“So, by this referendum we want to say to PM to listen to the grievances of people and face their anger,” she said.
Declaring the results of the referendum, Sucheta De, national president of All India Students Association (AISA) said, ‘The results reflect the mood of the people in the city Since Modiji is not interested in the opinion of the people we have gone around collecting the opinion of the people. The workers and students of the city are still suffering, the ATMs in the worker localities never have cash in them, but Modiji is nowhere to be seen.”
“He didn’t come to any chauraha but we went to the chaurahas and this is the result. Will Modi accept this,” she asked.
CPIML General Secretary Dipanakar Bhatttacharya said, ‘Today the note ban has spelled the end of employment and work for the people of the country. It is also important to note as to how the decision was taken completely trampling upon the autonomy of institutions like the RBI.
“The need of the hour is that referendums like this are conducted all across the country so that the Govt. can be told what the people are thinking,” he asserted.
Besides them, Mohit Pandey, president of JNUSU(Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union), CPI ML Delhi State Secretary Ravi Rai and some labors also spoke at the program jointly organized by CPI ML, AISA, AICCTU, (All India Central Council of Trade Union) AIPWA, (All India Progressive Women Association), Revolutionary Youth Organisation (RYA) Kapil from Sangwari Cultural Group.
