Losing Trust in Paper Currency
Copied below is the submitted version of
my letter published in ET on July 19, 2017
Losing Trust in Paper Currency
This refers to
the report “Govt Rules Out New Window to Swap Demonetised Notes”* (Economic Times,
July 18). GOI response giving reasons for denial of further extension of time
for exchange of SBNs (Rupees one thousand and Rupees five hundred notes
withdrawn from circulation on November 8, 2016) has not addressed the concerns
expressed by the Apex Court about denial of opportunity to genuine holders of SBNs
after the cut-off date/s. Supreme Court is unlikely to further embarrass GOI by
raising further queries and in all likelihood will close the deliberations at
this stage.
This decision of
the government under cover of its legislative supremacy has resulted in erosion
of public trust in paper currency which did not happen by withdrawal of legal
tender status of specified bank notes. Indirectly, GOI has pleaded inability to
handle criminal use of currency by miscreants as a ground for arbitrarily
forcing an expiry date for a solemn promise made by Reserve Bank of India,
which was supported by a Sovereign Guarantee.
This will have
far reaching implications on the public trust in paper currency.
M G WARRIER,
Mumbai
*Link copied below:
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/centres-no-to-sc-appeal-on-old-notes/article19299106.ece
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