Fractured opposition fails to mobilise support

The left-led Bharat bandh and the Jan Aakrosh Diwas observed by a number of opposition parties against the demonetisation drive of the Government, received a tepid response. This must be a timely reminder to all opponents of the decision that, despite facing inconveniences, the common citizens are extending their support to the Government on the issue. And, the hullabaloo created by various political parties against demonetisation has proved to be a wastage of time, money and energy of the nation, starting from the floor of  Parliament to the streets in some select pockets of the country.  To start with, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who together gave a three-day ultimatum to the NDA Government to roll back the scheme, had to finally come down from their call for countrywide street movements to low key protests.

Though both the leaders are currently staging anti-demonetisation dharnas in their respective States, their massive planning for joint street movements has taken them nowhere. It is obvious that leaders cannot fool people with their populist agendas on all occasions. Ironically, Banerjee’s call for bandh evoked little response in her own State as the Government offices recorded more than 93 per cent attendance on the day of the protest. The call for bandh issued by the left was only successful in its bastions of Tripura and Kerala. However, this could not make much headway in mobilising people in other States, which was so very clear from the statement issued by left Front chairman Biman Bose, who admitted, “The general strike was called in a short time. It did not get an overwhelming response. We have to take lessons from this.” It has been seen from day one of the rolling out of the demonetisation programme that the Opposition in the country has been sharply divided on the issue. Many regional stalwarts such as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his counterpart in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, have supported the Union Government, although they have rightly highlighted the hardships faced by the ordinary people. Even BSP supremo Mayawati did not support the Bharat bandh, but preferred to raise the matter in Parliament instead.

Sense and sensibility should prevail upon the country's Opposition. It is time for them to back moves to clean up the system. Blocking Parliament’s proceedings and spreading rumours on the demonetisation scheme will not serve any purpose. It is well understood that there always remains discontent in a democracy. Otherwise, where else can differences and discontent existIJ But then, we have an established institutional mechanism through which such grievances can be addressed. Just forcing people to the streets by giving a call for Bharat bandh is not the best way to ventilate the woes faced by the common people in their daily financial transactions.