HYDERABAD: Like every other citizen, I spent most part of the weekend standing in long queues outside banks/ATMs. Wherever I went, demonitisation was the buzzword. Most ATMs did not give out money and the few ones that did had serpentine queues. Suddenly, everybody was feeling the cash crunch. The dhobi, whom I have to plead every week to come and collect my clothes, arrived well in advance, without an invitation. It was clear that he needed money, but so was I. But I decided to give him Rs 200 since I could always fall back on Internet banking to fend for myself. But not everybody accepts card and when my mother asked me to buy vegetables from a vendor outside my complex in Kukatpally, I confidently strolled outside, forgetting that I had parted with my Rs 200.
I purchased vegetables worth Rs 85 but to my utmost horror, as soon I opened my wallet, I realised that I was out of cash. Kondaiah, the vendor, could easily relate to my plight. “Saar, meeku internet vunda?,” he asked, innocently. I nodded, slightly puzzled. “The thing is that I have to contact my family, but my phone has run out of balance. I have no money to recharge. So instead of paying me the money for vegetables, can you recharge my phone online?,” he asked.
Delighted, I immediately agreed and recharged his phone for Rs 100. Within seconds, he got a notification on his mobile, and he was pleased as punch. As I was walking back, I couldn’t help but wonder what a great leveller the demonitisation has been. Everybody has the same problem today and people are finding ways and means to help each other out. India’s collective strength, after all, is much bigger than a piece of paper.