So you had a holiday here. Big deal!

I live here, I also run my business here and fortunately I have no unaccounted assets or any kind of black money and ergo the experience has been easier for me and my family!

The extent of the problem resulting from this move varies from city to city. I was in Delhi for the first two days when I landed back after SteemFest and yet with 110 Rupees in my wallet I've managed to go about my work without complaining about it for 2 weeks! Bigger cities given the huge population has certainly felt the cash crunch.

Cash for redistribution was initially in short supply, the loopholes in the system were perhaps being exploited by those in power. But mostly, ATMs werent' calibrated to accept the new size of the notes and the banks have had trouble dealing with the huge demand for cash.

You and I are not insiders and without any hardcore conclusive proof, your presumptions about some of things you've outlined in your post will remain just that!

Infact, I also landed in India with similar amounts of INR as you carried on your trip which was completely worthless when I returned home. But with some patience, it took few mins to make a deposit on a deposit machine at my bank's branch and I withdrew money from an ATM without a queue in the evening one day after I came back to my hometown. I agree while that doesn't speak for the larger population or their problems, many people have followed protocol and managed to get things done without too much of a hassle.

Sometimes, the best thing to do when you are facing any problem is to be calm and not panic and create a sense of panic in others. That's not what most people do, especially when they have the a lot of time and access to social media they write senseless comments to create a sense of worry amongst each other!

It's unfortunate that you've had a rather negative experience and you were here in the midst of it but so were my family and friends and people went about their business and got things done! Sure it was difficult for the initial couple of days but then its gotten easier and easier from there.

No economy can be completely cashless, least of all India. The government's move may not yield the anticipated result in the long run and could be termed short sighted as well. At many levels it is poorly conceived but what powers do I have as a citizen. I couldn't even stop the current government from being voted in with my vote during the elections. I dont know where you live, but amongst all the things you've experienced here did you realize what our population size is like? It's huge and every government wants to exercise it's control over it's citizens. One way or the other it happens.

They've made various policy changes without taking the masses from all classes into confidence resulting in much panic and angst. Also, everyone was caught off guard! Sucks to be a tourist in a foreign country for sure!

Unfortunately there's nothing you or I can do about it. But ofcourse, feel free to continue to sit behind a computer in a different country with no real day-to-day connection with India and rant all day long about your negative experiences here while the rest of us who actually live here go about our lives normally and do the best we can with whatever we have!

As for corruption and crime, they have gone up since the announcement!

Where do you get these stats from? Are you making these up out of thin air? Based on hearsay from your friends back in India? slow clap

In my state alone over 30 cases and $150 million worth of hoarded cash has been seized by the tax officials. People have been caught laundering money. Those who amassed vast sums in new currency notes through illegal channels are being caught almost everyday now. As we enter into the 2nd month of demonetisation things are much better.

Corruption was always there at every level of the society, led by the political parties and yet the vast majority of the country blindly voted for the current regime. Do you really think the government itself is corruption free to begin with? Tell me one government that's free of corruption in the world today and isn't screwing their citizens.

The common man in India has always been taken for a ride. I don't like it but it's true. I see you highlighting problems and providing no solutions! So you asked a guy in Sisha/Hookah bar about his experience? Kinda funny and as you would know it doesn't represent the whole picture.

I meet local business owners daily during my interactions here and many of my friends operate small to medium scale businesses. My local barber who's business runs entirely on cash is still running his business with a smile and without any problems whatsoever as demonetisation hasn't affected him as must as the media would want us to believe it has affect the poorer sections of the society.

You were in India for a total of 9 days of demonetisation and you've a lot to say about things today, considering it's almost already a month since you've left India!

As far as the common man is concerned, they don't need our pity. The government has failed to help them in the past and also people from privileged classes of society such as yourself!

Their lives go on and those who live on hand to mouth dont even earn as much as a 500 rupees in a day for the need to exchange anything which sadly is even more unfortunate.

Sure, the unsympathetic middle class you are talking about exists in India and everywhere else in the world! They may not be the best of the lot. But, maybe it's your insecurities as an NRI (assuming you are of Indian origin) makes you have an hateful approach towards the 'typical Indian middle class'. Who knows what your prejudices or biases might be. I'm glad you don't live here, I'm sure you feel the same way. Frankly, People who need to get their shit done, probably don't care about your perspective on how you feel they are or go about their lives!

Human beings will do whatever it takes to survive or protect their belongings (legal, illegal, right or wrong is for everyone else to decide) and that's the fact whether we like it or not. So kindly keep your holier than thou attitude to yourself!

Thank you very much!