Here’s How PM Modi Kept His Black Money Masterstroke A Complete Secret For 6 Months!

PM Modi’s announcement about the ban on ₹500/1000 notes was an absolute masterstroke to deter the assimilation of black money. As established earlier, this announcement was not made on a whim but was a rather well thought out plan. In fact, PM Modi had been planning for this announcement for the past 6 months!

PM Modi entrusted just three individuals with his grand plan: RBI Governor Urijit Patel, Secretary of Economic Affairs Shaktikanta Das and Secretary of Investments & Currency Dr Saurabh Garg. He held confidential meetings with the trio which went on till late at night.

Not a single minister in the PM’s cabinet was aware of PM Modi’s plan.

 

The RBI stopped printing ₹1000 currency notes 6 months ago. Dr Saurabh Garg was responsible for the printing of the new ₹500 and ₹2000 notes in strict confidence. 

Dr Garg played a key role in not letting even a whiff of information regarding RBI’s operation be leaked out to the press.

 

A few weeks before the announcement, a circular was issued to all staff advising them not to carry cell phones into cabinet meetings. Moreover, the officials who worked on the demonetisation plan were kept under quarantine. 

This prevented any kind of recording or picture being taken during any of these meetings. There was to be no contact with the media or anyone else.

 

The notification for the plan was also printed in total secrecy, using the same press that is used to print the Union Budget papers. 

 

Furthermore, even on the day of the announcement, the ‘official’ agenda of the meeting was given to be a string of MoUs to be signed between India and Japan. 

The Cabinet Ministers were caught completely off guard by the PM’s announcement.

 

After the meeting, the Cabinet members were not allowed to leave the room until PM Modi had finished his public announcement regarding the ban. 

“We just got some indication 10 minutes before the meeting started. It was a bold step by the government. All ministers remained in the meeting hall from 6.45pm to 9pm until the PM’s address to the nation ended.”

The PM also managed the timing of the meeting in such a way that it coincided with the meeting of the RBI Board.

In today’s age of constant connectivity, where privacy is never guaranteed and a single leak can spread like a global wildfire, PM Modi did an exceptional job keeping such a massive plan a complete secret.

News Source: 1, 2, 3

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