Say NO to easy money coming to you at this time of crisis--rather be with the nation

While a large chunk of country's population is happy following the demonetisation efforts made by Narendra Modi led government, there are a few opportunistic ones who have other reasons to celebrate. A good amount of people have been minting money in various illegitimate ways taking the advantage of currency crisis prevailing in the country since night of November 8. Side business of converting black money has kicked off in various parts of the country and most of such cases are being reported from the metros. While some are loaning out their Jan Dhan Yojana bank accounts to the rich having unaccounted for money, there are some approaching the poor with their defunct Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes asking them to deposit those in their less susceptible bank accounts in exchange of paying a 'margin money.' If someone's account is being used to deposit defunct notes worth Rs 2 lakhs, he or she is being paid upfront Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for 'helping' the black money holders. Some are even approaching people having home loans so that the unaccounted for money can be pumped in to those home loan accounts thus earning a tag of legal money while the loan account-holders will have the benefit of having received 'margin money,' here also at a rate 15-25 per cent depending on locations. A parallel economy is presently in operation across the length and breadth of the country. Amid chaos and crisis over new currency notes, in Gujarat, Anti-Corruption Bureau seized new notes worth lakhs while the same being paid to two government employees as a bribe, in Kolkata airport currencies worth Rs 3 crore was intercepted by CISF while being ferried to Bhutan. The good intentions and efforts on part of the government in certain cases being used for evil objectives and innovative ideas coming from people in possession of such unaccounted for money have been increasing everyday. Such questioned money is also being pumped in to certain DEMAT accounts, to buy properties, land, precious metals, even expensive breed of pet dogs--some are even using such money for buying wood logs, construction materials, electronic goods but all these are happening through the route of 'margin money.' The term 'margin money' is the latest buzzword in this circle. While IT department sleuths armed with cops in mufti are trying to crackdown on such anomalies, lack of manpower and will also in some cases in such departments have been letting some of the culprits continue with their suddenly discovered business initiatives. In certain locations even bank employees are helping black money holders to convert their unaccounted for money at a cost of 'margins' being paid. The easy targets are people with less money, low value transaction bank accounts, less exposed to IT laws and such related legal consequences and the saga continues. It is not that the government is not aware of it, only thing is that at this hour it has other priorities-to make things normal for commoners. While we expect things to be much better in next couple of weeks with flush of freshly printed currency notes coming in the system and ATMs being recalibrated, this is the right time to decide whether we are with the 'good' or the 'evils.' Time you show you are with your government, your nation, for your own brighter future.