It's been over a month since Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the historical announcement on the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in the country. If you think the crisis people faced during the initial days after the declaration has come to a halt, wait till you read about what happened to a foreigner, who came to Kerala to enjoy his vacation.
A 40-year-old foreigner was left with no other option than to run away from a hotel without paying the bill as he was cashless. The incident happened at a restaurant in Munnar owned by Khader Kunju since 1989. "Before ordering the food, the tourist had asked if the restaurant will accept credit cards. He was told that the facility wasn't available. Still he had lunch and after washing his hands, he ran away," Kunju told IANS.
He was later caught by the hotel staff, however, after realising that he became cashless due to the ban of high denomination notes and couldn't withdraw money as the ATM's did not have cash, the food joint let him off.
The restaurant owner also narrated an incident on how a group of French tourists, including four men and four women, also walked into his restaurant saying they were hungry. Since they too had no cash to pay, he allowed them to pay later. "Their total bill was Rs 1,600. A few days later the women came and paid their amount, but the men slipped away and have not paid as yet," Kunju added.
Meanwhile, a resort owner in Munnar also shared a similar experience with International Business Times, India. "On November 8, a few foreigners had arrived in our resort. But, after Modi's announcement on the ban of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the guests got freaked out without knowing what else they can do in another country. We tried to help them in ways possible, but I am sure they were all struggling," Joseph Kuruvila said.
A tourist guide in the hill station also recollects how difficult it was for a group of tourists in Munnar. "Though they had come to Kerala to enjoy their holidays, their stay seemed to be a nightmare for them. Most of them had to spend their days in the state waiting in queue outside banks. I hope they will never again visit the country again," he said.
