About that Meenakshi Lekhi video

So, they tell us, BJP is a bunch of hypocrites :

That’s Meenakshi Lekhi in Jan 2014, saying that demonitization of pre-2005 banknotes is a problem that hits the poor people and common man hard. And like any accusation, real or imaginary that has the potential to show BJP in a poor light, this video has gone viral.

Indeed, if demonetization is “good” in 2016, why was it “anti-poor”  in Jan 2014? What has changed?

Now, I don’t blame partisan hacks for sharing this video and screaming hypocrisy. I am just talking to functioning adults with gainful employment who think they have a tiny bit of common sense. Indeed, what’s the difference?

Here is Plan A. UPA sat in government for 9 years and 7 months.  Then 1 month before the election is to be announced, the UPA government announces a crackdown on black money. How? Pre-2005 notes are to be withdrawn … and black money hoarders will have a minimum of 3 months (and likely more than a year and half) to think of ways to convert their dirty money into white.

What an idea sirjee! Simply brilliant, Dr. Manmohan Singh! If this idea does not make you the greatest economist of all time, I don’t know what will.

Now here is Plan B, brought by a former tea seller.

(a) On Day 1 of taking office, press for an ambitious plan to allow the poorest of the poor to open zero balance accounts with minimal documentation.

(b) Open 22 crore bank accounts for ordinary people.

(c) Legislate India’s toughest (and possibly the world’s toughest) anti-black money law ever.

(d) Begin a voluntary disclosure scheme for people to declare their income and pay a 45% penalty in return for amnesty.

(e) Make it compulsory to declare PAN for large gold purchases so that you cant convert black money into precious metal.

(f) At one stroke at 8 pm IST on Nov 8, 2016 declare that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will no longer be legal tender.

What happens to poor people? They use their Jan Dhan accounts. What happens to black money hoarders? They have become paupers overnight because their money is no longer legal tender. And don’t even think about buying gold because Modi uncle thought about in advance and made it compulsory to furnish PAN for such purchases.

Yes, indeed, what’s the difference between these two plans? Such a hypocrite BJP is…they didn’t even wait 9 years and 7 months in power to give black money hoarders an indefinite window to convert their wealth.

World Bank economists came up with Plan A.  A tea seller thought of Plan B. This is why tea sellers should never be given reins of government.

Actually, if you think about it, a tea seller understands economics. He brings the raw materials to his stall everyday, he optimizes the quality of his tea leaves, the amount of sugar and milk in each cup and understands how much his customers will pay, adjusted for quality. Give that job to a “World Bank economist” in government and see what a mess he makes. First of all, half the sugar will be stolen and then the world bank economist will get votes by promising free tea made from adulterated milk and tea leaf dust.

But every now and then, there comes a tea seller who throws the World Bank economists and their patrons in the Dynasty on to the street, lining up with the masses for Rs 4000. It happens. For the last 3 days, they buzzed around him like flies, playing up every single incident, even planting completely false stories.

Watch how they shamelessly admit to rumor mongering and how they are chased away by alert social media. Here is the boss of “The News Minute”, who has learned no lessons from the P V Sindhu caste story.

And then the tea seller swats them away like the flies they are. A tea seller would know how to swat flies too. It’s something they don’t teach in Lutyens Delhi. Rarely have I seen Modi as aggressive as today. If he goes on like this, it’s game over for the Opposition.