Overheard in public: Lessons to skip bank queues

NEW DELHI: Eight days after the demonetisation drive, the common man is not able to talk of anything else except how his buying power has been snatched away from him. Overheard conversation on roads, in front of banks or in Delhi Metro revolve around nothing but experiences in queues, narratives and rumours heard by friends, and 'jugaads' to skip the queues.

Yet, when asked what they think of the drive, people only have praises for the war against black money. "Modi ji has done this to teach Sonia Gandhi and Rahul a lesson," said a man outside a bank in Green Park.

In the ladies' compartment of the Metro from Vaishali to Dwarka, most conversations were about where the day's quota of money will be arranged from. Women are seen calling husbands and relatives, telling them about people who might help them cut the queue and get money .

"I was standing in the line to get money exchanged for a friend, but they told me they will not accept the cash unless it's in my name. So, I called up my friend. He knew an official in another bank in Lajpat Nagar, who helped me out," a youngster was overheard telling his friend at Mandi House station. When his friend warned him that his luck may run out when bankers start inking people's fingers, he said, "Tab ki tab dekh lenge. (I will deal with it then.)" Outside the station, rickshawpullers could be seen counting cash -mostly 10s, some 50s, and maybe a hundred.Among themselves, they talk of who all they need to pay and how much they need to send back home. For chaiwalas, the current atmosphere makes no difference.

For some, bad-mouthing the government is equivalent to being as bad as black money hoarders. "Whatever is happening is for the best. But these bank officials are taking in people they know first while we wait outside," said an elderly man standing outside ICICI Bank in Nehru Place for the third day. Some were also heard talking about the vast wealth of their bosses, yet they had been asked to get change.