Thread by @gauravsabnis

It will soon be the 5 year anniversary of #DeMon. Modi WhatsApp University's greatest messaging triumph is that India is still in denial about what a stupid, selfish, and destructive move that was. People were robbed of their own money for months and they barely protested.

And BTW, I don't say this in an abstract academic sense. I was personally impacted. Had to handle a family emergency situation involving a death across 2 continents and 5 cities, while having to fly to Bombay overnight a few weeks after #DeMon. It was so bizarre and rough!

It's the first time I sang that line truly meaning it - "Aye Dil hai mushkil jeena yahaan". For the first time in my living memory, India had gotten harder than easier. And it was just the start.

After that, every trip, India gets harder than easier.

But that's fascism for you.

No one talks about the fact that almost all the currency out there got exchanged. There was no real "black money" bonanza. The supposed purpose, to punish those with ill-gotten gains, was not achieved.

Of course, the real reason was to win U.P. in 2017. That's all it was.

Now U.P. elections approach again. The state is objectively worse off than 5 years ago. BJP knows it's in trouble.

I shudder to think what they will unleash next. Because they know that if they lose U.P., it's game over.

A memory from #DeMon that stays with me. During our 3 weeks there taking care of FIL's death and other chores and paperwork, we often hired a driver who was okay with being paid with checks (we couldn't do Paytm/bhim etc cos US citizens). Cash was precious. For everyone.

So this dude was often doing Pune-Bombay trips with us. Or full days in Pune. Or Bombay. Perfect driver, really. Friendly, chatty, but also knew when to give us space. And then at the end of the day, he'd happily accept the check, and ask "punha kadhi yeu"? No cash involved.

But then our duties were done and we were about to head back to NYC. Our last long trip with him, I was about to write him a check as always. When I looked at how much cash I had, thanks to my parents. And we were gonna head straight to the airport the next morning anyway.

So I said, dude, is it okay if I make this payment in cash instead of check? Cos I have enough left that I won't need most of it and I'm flying out.

Dude literally started crying! Sobbing! He said it meant so much to get this cash. And it obviously meant more to him than me.

This usually stoic chill charming dude was reduced to tears because he unexpectedly was getting a bunch of cash, most of it ₹100 notes thanks to my dad's habit of preferring those. And ₹100 notes were precious as the highest legal old tender.

Dude cried. For getting cash.

I don't think most Indians get how problematic this is. And how bizarre it would have seemed in October 2016.

A fully grown financially independent accomplished family man making a nice living until recently was crying happily because he got paid in cash for services he provided

If this is the #NewIndia and someone is doubling down on it, they are extremely stupid and bigoted.

That totally unnecessary, vain, and cruel decision was almost designed to hit the most vulnerable Indians the most.

If you're reading this on Twitter, you probably managed #DeMon thanks to helpful contacts.

Imagine being him.

thehindu.com/news/cities/Co…

Until India has a true reckoning with what an unnecessarily destructive and sadistic move #Demonetisation was, there is no hope.