Demonetisation helps in bringing back the “Indian culture” by cutting down on the “western-style consumer extravaganza”, and going cashless will help to resume “the old practice of spending only on things we need”, A Jayakumar, general secretary of Vijnana Bharati, an organisation promoting swadeshi science, had said.

“Digital payments or cashless transactions will make it easy for parents to look into their kids’ monetary transactions. This will lead to a transparent society. All expenditures of our children will be on record, there will be equilibrium. This is not to sound autocratic but to impress faith in family values, parents will know where the children are spending money,” he said.

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Vijnana Bharati is often referred to as an RSS-affiliated organization but Jayakumar said that it would be incorrect to say so. “You can take it on record that we are not an RSS-affiliated organisation,” he said.

“Cashless transactions or demonetisation is bringing Indian culture back to its people – extravagance was not in our culture, this consumerism is a western import and by going cashless we will resume our old practice of spending on things we need, seek inspiration from Chanakya,” he said.

Demonetisation Bandh, cold response

“Cashless transactions can be successful only if the technology reaches consumers in their regional language. And this is exactly what we propagate. So in the long run cashless transaction is going to give a big boost to Indianness or Swadeshi,” he opined.

“Almost 30% of Indians are illiterates, but there are over a crore mobile phones. As per Census 2011, only 12% of the Indian population speaks English. So language should not become a reason for cashless transaction to become unsuccessful,” he said.

By Premji