Popularization of bitcoins in India will result in prohibition of bitcoins and criminalization of the whole area. From government point of view it is illegal alternative remittance system.
When it happens, we all know whom to blame for that.
I do not think it will be any different from what ECB and finCEN have done.
Regulations, KYC, AML at the most.
first person to go to jail will be buysellbitcoins, next they will get frozen all bank accounts of people who has done transactions with him.
Indian business model based on prohibition. Once it will come to their attention, I have little doubts what will be the next.
Expecting almost whole Indian Bitcoin community having party there with me
On a serious note, I do share your concerns on this topic but I believe as long as you have proper records of your transactions, and you pay tax, you will get chance to explain yourself. If they want to close down business, I will simply close it without any argument as long as they have proper legal tender and authority to ask me that.
Bitcoin needs still at least 3 years in India to get mature.
No one will go to jail for dealing with BTC. Maybe some fines or cautions, but that is it.
If someone uses BTC for unlawful purposes, then there may be problems.
How do you identify the user of BTC? I pity the traders who need to make that judgement.
I appreciate the cautiousness being taken with Bitcoin, but my gut instinct tells me that this time it is going to be different.
Let me throw some points as to why:
1. The internet has become a cornerstone of National Security and defense, this cannot be taken down easily.
2. If anyone makes a move against Bitcoin, especially a country, expect a fight.
3. We are not in the same timelines as the 90's. Things have changed. Social media has made governments respect their citizens a wee bit more.
4. What will the Anons do if a government decides to go against the 'open currency of their internet'?
5. How will the intellectual public/ born anarchists react when they learn more about bitcoin?
6. There are steps that CIS will undertake to ensure that this does not happen.
7. Recent History:
The drug war did not eradicate drugs, instead they spread like wildfire because people started learning more about them. People started questioning their governments and regulators and when no answer was attained, the war had to be called off.
The war on t3rr0r was even worse. If we notice, now most of those people labelled as 't3rrorists' are now freedom fighters. In fact it was such a huge failure, that most people on the planet can be classified into atleast 3-5 buckets of t3rr0r characteristics. Hence it failed and has been called to halt.
Hypothetically, if governments did not learn from the 2 case studies mentioned above; we are in for a long period of time where Bitcoin will remain hunted, but will eventually win under the weight of the oppressors.
Alternatively, the governments could give up on banks (which may never happen) and decide that handling financial problems is not within their scope of rule.
This is my vision of things to come.
Absolutely no failure can be granted until there is an attempt. Imagine what needs to be done for a victory.