The more things change....

Recently I read tweet that made me ponder a bit. 

"I applied for passport on Monday, and it was delivered on Wednesday. Acche din are here".

I thought about time, about 10 years ago, and the hassles of getting a passport.

You had to fill this long, detailed form, give all sorts of details with proofs (copy attested by a Gazetted Officer and verified with the Original at the counter), answer all kinds of questions (similar to the ones asked by the bank clerk when a senior citizen goes to deposit his own money in the bank) and then wait for about a month, and a visit by the local police man to verify your address, before you got your passport.
 

All 35 pages of them, if you are lucky.
 

That was then. The philosophy was for the government to distrust the citizens until they proved trustworthy.
 

The same philosophy is behind the demonetization. Everyone is a black money hoarder until proven otherwise.
 

It is behind the complex taxation laws asking you to provide multiple evidences if you want to claim tax exemptions
 

It is behind the multiple security checks at airport. They check your cabin bag at security, check the baggage tag before you cross the check in gate and again check the baggage tag before you enter the aircraft !!
 

As the tweet shows, things are changing. And contrary to public beliefs, they started changing even before the current government took office.
 

But then, out comes demonetization...
 

The more things change.....