The Budget

February 28, 2011 was hectic and long. The day started early with the Academy Awards and then the Union Budget. Sadly both missed the shenanigans and hoopla they are generally associated with. Hence when a senior journalist and a close friend had "A journalist's logistics nightmare -- the Union Budget" as his Facebook status, I was taken aback. There was a time, when journalists would comb through the budget and every newspaper worth its salt would come out with different incisive analysis the following morning. These days, more than journalists, it is industrialists, corporate heads, bankers etc., who argue, counter argue and agree in a roundabout manner that the budget is perfect...unless they are willing to earn the wrath of the Finance Minister and the Ministry. With PR machinery in full swing, the following day's paper is likely to have Mr. Tata; Mr. Ambani and all speaking "exclusively" to a newspaper which, somehow is similar to news published in competing newspapers. While all are eloquent with "inclusive growth", "inflation control", "sustainable GDP growth", no one makes the budget analysis simple for the layman. I so miss the good old days, when The Statesman (yes there was a leading, reliable, no-nonsense daily) would host the annual Budget lecture by Nani Palkhivala. And that was analysis. I am sure those who have heard his discourse on Budget and the preamble from C R Irani would know what I am talking about. Let's not even talk about industry leaders, our political leaders are worse. Lalu Prasad Yadav (if my memory serves me right) said that the budget did not have anything for the backward classes! Come on, Mr. Yadav, India's budget can never be complete without "inclusive growth" and someone needs to explain you that. Of-course people have stopped taking the Left parties seriously as they have pessimistic views on everything, even if the country is facing external security threat. So their budget reaction was known to people even before the budget was presented. And then there was the Economist, Cultural Icon, Ad Guru, Strategeist etc etc etc Suhel Seth presenting his high opinion on the budget. Mr. Seth, even Pandit Nehru would not get into the semantics of Union Budget and leave it to experts to decipher. Analysis of India's Union Budget is another great tamasha and for most it is an opportunity to be seen and heard as "thought leader".

The oratory skills and both intended & unintended puns are no longer part of budget speeches. Neither is the wittiness of those present in Parliament. Wit and humour, if not always inherent, is certainly honed. At a recent ceremony in Delhi, a so-called editor in chief and publisher of trade magazines decided to be witty. Apparently people (read Bengalis) who left his organisation and joined a particular trade portal / magazine suffered cardiac attacks. It was not bringing forth his humourous side but his latent apathy towards those who are successful after leaving his unscrupulous fiefdom. But yes, one thing for sure, his manner of speaking is enough to tickle anyone's funny bone just as it is a treat to listen to Venkaiah Naidu speak in English. A good sense of humour always has a personal connotation. The difference, Mr. Publisher cum Editor-In-Chief, is, how it is delivered. A cruel joke can sometimes be the most funny one, provided it is done with panache.

__________

Pictures from Google Images