A decade ago, the 2G scam and the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam shook the nation. Anna Hazare’s hunger strike and Nirbhaya’s brutal gang rape made headlines globally. At the same time, the Indian diaspora, early adopters of social media, pushed the conversation around corruption in the country.
The public sphere was abuzz with discontentment; Corruption, black money, rape and women’s safety were the keywords that dominated the conversation. A global magazine published a cover picture labelling Man Mohan Singh a ‘Loser.’ The public sentiment against corruption — buoyed by the anti-incumbency factor — triggered the BJP’s rise to power.
Since then, debates about corruption have almost been non-existent. The media pulls up several issues to the front row. But corruption is not among them. Does that mean there is no corruption in the Modi government? Let’s dive deep into some aspects.
On November 8, 2016, Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of the Indian currency. It’s a hare-brained policy where the Rs. 1000 and Rs.500 notes were deemed worthless — overnight. The government also introduced a note of Rs. 2000. People were to deposit their old notes in government banks in exchange for new currency.
The ‘demonetisation’ was done hastily, subjecting millions of people to financial hardship overnight. It reduced many small business owners to penury. Tens of thousands of people lost their jobs overnight. Hundreds of people, waiting in queues to take their money, died.
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