This short fiction is set in the time, when Demonitisation was suddenly announced in India.
Anuradha was furiously typing on her laptop trying to finish her Article on the new demonetization and simultaneously instructing her maid about her duties for the day. Her maid, Shanta bai was had just finished dusting the house when suddenly her phone rang, it was her neighbour. Shanta Bai was almost 55 and recently her son had bought her a new mobile phone, which she still could not operate well. By mistake Shanta Bai attended her call on speaker and Anuradha generally did not mind if Shanta Bai attended her calls during work.
“Hello, Shanta Mausi, main narmada bol rahi hoon.”
“Haan, bolo Narmada.”
“Acha, Shanta Mausi, main aaneke time 5 kg tamatar, lekar aa rahi hoon, woh mera bhai hai na uska dost tamatar bechta hai.”
“Thik hai, usko shaam ko bulane mat bhoolna”.
Anuradha overheard the conversation and could not help asking Shanta Bai what she would do of 5 kg Tomatoes as Anuradha knew Shanta Bai was a widow and lived with her son.
Anuradha “Arrey, Shanta Bai 5 kg Tamatar ka kya karogi, kahin se kuch order mila hai kya ?”
Shanta Bai: “Nai Memsaab, kal raat ko news mein aaya tha na ki aaj se 500 aur 1000 k note nahi chalenge, toh isliye aaj subah se hum sab log ek saath milkar khana bana rahe hai.. Ab hum toh aap logon ki tarah amir nahi hai ki card se koi bade dukaan se saaman kharide.Hum toh jyadatar mazdoor log hai jinhe din ki kamayi milti hai..isliye humare chawl k logon ne yeh faisala kiya hai ki kuch dino tak hum sab saath milkar khana banayenge, jise jo saman bazar se milta hai woh us saman ko lekar aata hai.
Sach Kahun Memsaab mujhe bachpan k din yaad aa gaye jab gaav mein hum sab saath mein baithkar khana banate the aur khate the…
Parson woh mere pados ka ladke ko bahut tez bukhar tha…lekin dhanya ho us medical store wale ka jisne use turant bukhar ki dawai de di…Seema par toh roz sipahi humare liye bhookhe pyaase apni jaan par khelkar humari raksha karte haii..toh kya hum kuch dino k liye niswarth hokar ek doosre ki madat nahi kar sakte?“
This answer by Shanta Bai amazed Anuradha. In a way Shanta Bai was right, a lot of the chaos can be controlled with the sudden denomination of notes if we agree to face the problem together.
The news channel suddenly caught her attention, where on one side the opposition was criticising this sudden move, but himself did not make any attempt to help the poor of the country.
Where are the politicians who feed biriyani when they need votes ?
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