<img title="Illustration/Uday Mohite" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/nov/27-Rahul-da-Cunha.jpg" alt="Illustration/Uday Mohite" /> Illustration/Uday Mohite
<img style="float: left;" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/dec/rahul-da-cunha.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="54" />So Coldplay came to town last week, yes? And our Prime Minister quoted extensively from Bob Dylan&rsquo;s, The Times They Are A-Changing.
Everyone was gobsmacked by this choice, I had to concede, that a rock concert was a superb arena to justify the badly executed demonetisation plan.
Dear reader, I know you&rsquo;re asking two questions.
1. Why we have an absurd R2000 note?
2. Who chose the Bob Dylan song for him to quote from?
I was on a taskforce comprising the RBI Chairman, the Chief Economic Advisor, AR Rehman and me.
Our brief was clear &ndash; pick a western pop song that the big man can easily quote from.
AR Rehman was first off the block &mdash; &ldquo;Why not a song from the Coldplay playlist itself, like &lsquo;Fix You&rsquo; ?&rdquo;
Our RBI Chairman was aghast, &ldquo;Are you crazy? Those two words &lsquo;Fix You&rsquo; will remind every Indian what hardships we are putting them through!&rdquo;
Our Chief Economic Advisor was bobbing up and down with an idea &ndash; &ldquo;What about the ABBA number, &lsquo;Money money money/Must be funny in the rich man&rsquo;s world?&rdquo;
He was instantly sacked.
Just then, the PM&rsquo;s office called.
&ldquo;Accha, Boss has chosen his song, Bob Dylan&rsquo;s &lsquo;The Times They Are A-Changin&rsquo;&rdquo;&hellip; gaana suna hai na? Good. We don&rsquo;t need your help now&rdquo;
And so I rewrote Bob Dylan&rsquo;s anthem (I have not shared it with the PM&rsquo;s office. Only you, dear reader. Please this is strictly confidential).
The song is called &mdash; The Times They Are A-Changin&rsquo; (But you can&rsquo;t get change):
Come gather 'round people Wherever you stand In queues, outside banks Or ATM machines While you try changing notes The nation&rsquo;s flat broke And the times they are a-changin&rsquo; (But you can&rsquo;t get change)
This crazy wild demonetisation plan It&rsquo;s bypassed the rich And it&rsquo;s affecting the poor No cash in the city No dosh in the safes And the times they are a-changin&rsquo; (But you can&rsquo;t get change)
Come builders and traders Who just deal in black Selling flats, selling condos There&rsquo;s no going back Bye bye to cash money That paperless trail And the times they are a-changin&rsquo; (But you can&rsquo;t get change)
Come senators, congressmen, officials all Please heed the call That the people are scared, No exchange of old notes Will start affecting your votes And the times they are a-changin&rsquo; (But you can&rsquo;t get change)
Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land You have every right to criticise What you can't understand Because eight days ago You were one with the plan But you see your money slowly vanishing Plunder and loot Some game is afoot And the times they are a-changin&rsquo; (But you can&rsquo;t get change)
The PM&rsquo;s office called. &ldquo;Accha Madonna is coming soon. The PM would like to quote from another western song. Any ideas?&rdquo; &ldquo;Yes, I have a suggestion.&rdquo; &ldquo;What?&rdquo; &ldquo;You may not like it.&rdquo; &ldquo;Bolo toh sahi.&rdquo; &ldquo;Elton John&rsquo;s &lsquo;Sorry seems to be the hardest word&rsquo;.&rdquo;
Rahul da Cunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, photographer and traveller. Reach him at rahuldacunha62@gmail.com

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So Coldplay came to town last week, yes? And our Prime Minister quoted extensively from Bob Dylan&rsquo;s, The Times They Are A-Changing

Rahul da Cunha: The times they aren't a-changin'

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Rahul da Cunha: The times they aren't a-changin'

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