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Thanthi TV Survey: Overwhelming Support For Modi’s Demonetisation Drive In Tamil Nadu
A customer displays her Rs 2,000 rupee notes as she has her finger inked with indelible ink after exchanging withdrawn 500 and 1000 rupee banknotes at a bank in Chennai. Photo credit: ARUN SANKAR/AFP/GettyImages
A poll conducted to know people’s views on demonetisation across 12 districts in Tamil Nadu reflects overwhelming support for the Central government’s move.
Chennai-based popular news and infotainment channel, Thanthi TV, which accurately predicted the Tamil Nadu election results, has released a survey that reflects on the whole, solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to come down hard on black money hoarders through demonetisation. About 6,000 people were interviewed for the survey conducted by Krish Info Media. The data is based on feedback from different sections of the society, with half of those interviewed being women.
While overwhelming majority of the respondents supported the demonetisation drive of the Modi government, almost everyone who was surveyed expressed disappointed on the implementation of the move.
The groundswell of support for demonetisation and generally receptive response to the idea of less cash economy is not surprising in a state, which is rapidly urbanising, well banked, smartphone savvy and digitally enabled.
The 2011 census, the results of which were released in 2015, said that Tamil Nadu emerged as the most urbanised state. Of the total households in the state, 42.47 per cent in are in urban areas.
An interesting insight that could be drawn from the survey was that about 23 per cent of those surveyed expressed support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – this in a state where the party has minuscule electoral presence with support confined to just two districts.
With observers predicting that the state is set for prolonged spell of political turmoil in the post Jayalalithaa era , these numbers assume considerable significance though it must be read with lot of caveats. Both the mainstream Dravidian parties are so well entrenched in the political firmament that no credible third challenger has emerged in the last four decades.
Here are the key findings of Thanthi TV survey:
Will the Central government’s decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes create an impact?
Will create a good impact on personal lives: 66 per cent
No impact: 30 per cent
No opinion: 4 per cent
People facing difficulty due to the banning of Rs 500 Rs 1,000 notes
Short-term difficulty, but long term benefit: 60 per cent
Unnecessary trouble: 34 per cent
No opinion: 6 per cent
Currency ban – plan and execution
Good plan, bad execution: 95 per cent
Good plan, good execution: 3 per cent
No opinion: 3 per cent
Are you supporting the government’s demonetisation decision?
Yes: 61 per cent
No: 34 per cent
No opinion: 5 per cent
What is your reaction to the government’s decision?
Shock: 46 per cent
Some were aware about the demonetisation decision prior to its announcement on 8 November: 45 per cent
No opinion: 9 per cent
Who was the most affected?
Ordinary public: 50 per cent
Black money hoarders: 45 per cent
No opinion: 5 per cent
Is E-commerce feasible in India?
Yes: 61 per cent
No: 36 per cent
No opinion: 3 per cent
Government’s currency ban planning
Better planning could have been done: 87 per cent
Problems associated with the ban can’t be avoided: 11 per cent
No opinion: 11 per cent
Will currency ban eliminate black money?
Half of black money will be eliminated: 47 per cent
All of the black money will be eliminated: 32 per cent
Will not be eliminated: 15 per cent
No opinion: 6 per cent
Was it right to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes?
Correct: 64 per cent
Wrong: 31 per cent
No opinion: 5 per cent
Are you supporting a cashless economy?
No: 50 per cent
Yes: 48 per cent
No opinion: 2 per cent
How will currency ban influence voting decisions?
Will vote for BJP: 23 per cent
Will not vote for BJP: 12 per cent
Ban has nothing to do with voting: 65 per cent
Your views on opposition protests
Political stunt: 62 per cent
Fair: 26 per cent
No opinion: 12 per cent
Through demonetisation, do you think the government will deposit money in your account?
No: 50 per cent
Yes: 37 per cent
No opinion: 13 per cent
What does the currency ban decision of the government indicate?
Bold: 85 per cent
Vote bank politics: 11 per cent
No opinion: 4 per cent
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