Forget ATMs, This Village Has Never Seen A Rs 1000 Note, Still Thinks Sonia Is In Power

Tudkibai Pawara has not heard the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is completely unaware of demonetisation. Sitting in her thatched hut of interlaced bamboos in remote hilly tribal village of Roshamal (Khurd) in Akrani Taluka of Nandurbar, Tudkibai is surprised when asked about the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes because she is unaware that such currencies existed.

TOI

While people in other parts of India queue up outside banks and ATMs for new currency notes, many villagers in Roshamal in north Maharashtra, about 500km from Pune, are yet to see the scrapped ones.

For many Adivasis, Congress still rules at the Centre and "Indira's daughter (actually daughter-in-law)", Sonia, is the 'Sarkar' (government). Banks, ATMs and debit cards are distant dreams for these villagers, who still don't have basic facilities like roads, transport, electricity, housing and water.

"I don't understand what you people are talking about," Tudkibai tells her son, Sunil, playing the role of interpreter and translating questions to her in Pawari language.

In the adjacent hut, Devidas Pawara is unable to understand why all of a sudden traders in Dhadgaon town, almost 100km from Roshamal, are asking to sell his corn and jowar at the rate of Rs 10 per kg.

"Generally rates are good and range between Rs 13- Rs 15 per kg. I don't know what has happened. I have not taken my produce to the market because of low rates" he says.

Reuters

With no roads and bus service, Devidas has to depend on two-wheelers and jeeps that come once in a while to the village to take his stock to Dhadgaon. With no petrol pumps around, shops sell kerosene-mixed petrol in mineral water bottles.

When told about demonetisation and restrictions on withdrawing cash, Devidas says, "Why do you people need so much money? Rs 2,000 withdrawal is more than enough. The monthly budget of our family is Rs 1,500."

Oil, salt, sugar, tea and sometimes vegetables are the only items on his monthly list as other requirements are met through farming, which depends on monsoon. Devidas has a simple cellphone handset but struggles to get the connectivity. He uses solar battery charger to charge it.

The government had given solar lights to Pawaras and had set up solar panels. Most of them are defunct now. Devidas' wife, Sevibai, hopes to see a new currency note of Rs 2,000 but she has heard from her husband that new notes are duplicates. "My husband has seen the picture of the new note on a friend's cellphone and it doesn't look like old notes. We shall not use these notes," she says.

Reuters

Ugravnya Vanya Pawara is afraid of talking anything about the government. When he realises the ongoing discussions are about the government and money, he becomes anxious. "I don't know anything about the government and money. I don't want to say anything. Please don't get me into this. I shall land in trouble. Let us live our lives," he says, rushing away.

Phulwanti Apsing Pawara, grinding jowar on a traditional stone grinder, says she is aware that the "Sarkar" has done "something" to money. Ask her who is the "Sarkar", and she murmurs the names of Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. To many Pawara, Vasavi and Valvi community members, the names of Indira and her "daughter" Sonia are associated with Sarkar.

"Every election, Rs 100 notes folded in pieces of paper having the election symbol reach the village and people cast vote on that symbol during elections. All these years, punja (the Congress' election symbol) symbols were there on the pieces of paper. But these days, various symbols like clock (NCP's election symbol) and lotus (BJP's election symbol) come with Rs 100," say youths clamouring at the corner.

There is confusion over how lotus has replaced punja. Some say that 'Indira's party' has taken a new symbol. As they talk, a black snake rustles in the dry grass. But they remain unruffled and allow it to go its way. Tudkibai, meanwhile, prepares tea. "We don't use milk in tea," she squirms. But she is eager to see the old currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and asks to communicate the message to the government that it must send a few old currency notes to her village.

BCCL

Not only Tudkibai, many like her in Roshamal have not seen the scrapped currency notes. "Even educated boys like us studying outside have hardly handled Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Farmers here don't produce much and trading happens in Rs 10, 50 and 100 currency notes. Rs 100 has always remained the biggest currency here," says Sunil, studying hard in Nandurbar to become a talathi (a government post).

"I didn't appear for the exam last time because I did not have the exam fee to pay," says Sunil, who is uncomfortable talking about backwardness and poverty of his family and village. B V Tirmile, a teacher in the government's Adivasi ashramshala resting under a tree with his wife and son as the children in the school wander, asks, "At the first place, tell me how you reached here?"

He says, "Nothing happens here and nobody comes here. People here hardly need money and so they are not concerned or even bothered about demonetisation."

B V Tirmile sums it up. "This will be one of the most unaffected villages in the demonetisation process. There is no question of banks, ATMs, cards and anger against the government. Everything is fine here." Why do you people need so much money? Rs 2,000 withdrawal is more than enough. The monthly budget of our family is Rs 1,500