Demonetising Corruption: Precision or Carpet Bombing?
Sadanand Patwardhan
Demonetising Corruption: Precision or Carpet Bombing?
“Much can happen between now and 2019. But one thing is clear that road to Modi’s reelection in 2019 goes through UP 2017-assembly elections -a state that gave 71 BJP members of parliament in 2014. UP is also crucial to BJP to eventually get majority in the upper house. Was demonetisation a dazzling masterstroke by Modi to resurrect the iconic anti-corruption crusader image he rode to victory in 2014 but that has lost shine due to pretty modest “achievement” of Income Disclosure Scheme-2016 [IDS] & abject failure of Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets Scheme-2015? Someone who promised Rs. 15 lacs in every Indian’s account by “confiscating” black money stashed abroad and failed utterly [later called चुनावी जुमला], it was a huge come down he could not afford. Would his spectacular but what appears to be foolhardy gambit succeed? If it doesn’t appear to fetch the coveted reward as elections near, then India may be in for worse trouble. Either it would then be war jingoism at our geographical borders or identity borders may get yet again drawn to bitterly polarise the electorate into communities”.