Demonetisation: How MPs are coping with cash crunch

HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES: “I have enough money in hundreds and have been running things smoothly… None of my hospitals have faced any problems in procuring medicines or providing treatment and medicine.”

BANK/ATM EXPERIENCE: “I am neither Arvind Kejriwal nor Rahul Gandhi to stand in a queue before an ATM so that I would be photographed or interviewed. I have sent one of my office staff with documents to the Parliament branch and to withdraw from the ATM too.”

FEEDBACK: “I have been to at least 100 places; no one had major issues. To cure malaria, you need bitter quinine, not sweet chocolate.”

Sanjay Jaiswal, BJP

‘Demonetisation has made people kanjush’

HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES: “I haven’t faced any issues. We are a family of five medical practitioners. We were taking old notes [until last week] and are still considerate with serious cases. I have two debit cards and a credit card and often use them.”

BANK/ATM EXPERIENCE: “I stood in queue in the Parliament branch — I must have stood for 40 minutes — to withdraw Rs 10,000 and exchange Rs 4,000.”

FEEDBACK: “In my constituency, some people faced problems in banks and those with a wedding in the family are finding it tough. The government has taken some measures… Demonetisation has made people kanjush and everyone has started using money carefully… But people feel PM Modi has corrected the system.”

Dharmendra Yadav, SP

‘Had to borrow Rs 100 notes from friends’

HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES: “I had to arrange Rs 100 notes from friends to meet family expenses the day after demonetisation was announced… Most of the things we need, like foodgrains and pulses. come from my village as we are into agriculture.”

BANK/ATM EXPERIENCE: “None of our family members went to an ATM. We did not want to queue up before an ATM for a photo op. We are drawing salary from the bank.”

FEEDBACK: “People are suffering… It is the common man who is standing in queue, not the rich or the industrialist. Money has reached cities to some extent… but in villages the situation is very bad. There is no money in rural banks or cooperative banks.”

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP

‘We buy mostly online, no problems’

HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES: “My family has already moved towards cashless transactions. Our income and expenditure are mostly through cheque and RTGS. We buy mostly online. There was no major problem for us as such.”

BANK/ATM EXPERIENCE: “I did visit the bank and witnessed personally how people were reacting. I stood many times in queue.”

FEEDBACK: “I could feel that people [at banks and ATMs] who had weddings in the family had some problems and I tried to help them.

But nobody was against demonetisation. It’s not the decision but the transitional phase that is creating some difficulties. People need to be trained in e-banking and alternative transaction methods. I have personally carried out training programmes.”