And when my eyes saw the big cat approaching stealthily from the dense bushes, the moment was ecstatic…amidst the dark of the night and twittering crickets, seated on the safari jeep, when our torch lights cast flashes on the striped skin of the royal animal and the tiger emerged in all its radiance…the sight was majestic…”

These are the emotions evoked on sighting the majestic big cat in its natural surroundings on a wildlife safari. Delhi-based adventure enthusiast and media professional, Dilasha Seth says “After all it is not everyday that you see a tiger prowling in your backyard…To watch a tiger on National Geographic and to feel its presence at a sniffing distance are two very different things. Hence that gasping moment of awe comes as a reflex response to the palpable experience.

Tiger spotting is nothing short of an adventure sport that calls for preparation, patience and positive outlook. Let us explore some of the popular national parks and wildlife destinations that can guarantee you a rendezvous with the Great Indian Tiger.

Bandhavgarh National Park

Located in Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India, the erstwhile hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa, the dense Bandhavgarh is known to the world as the home of the big cats. With over 600 species of flowering plants, 50 species of aquatic and 18 species of rare plants, the real thrill of Bandhavgarh is in seeing the tigers roam the jungles freely.

A paradise for wildlife enthusiasts, Jim Corbett National Park (that turned 75 this year) is known to house a population of 200 plus tigers along a massive topographical area interspersed with hilly ridges and rolling grasslands.

To drop Sunderbans out from the discussion on tiger trails in India would be sacrilege for this is the kingdom of the Royal Bengal Tiger (one of the ferocious breeds of the carnivore). The charm of Sunderban lies in navigating through the remote reaches of the dense mangrove forest that characterises the world’s largest Delta. What sets this vast tract of impenetrable forest situated along the Bay of Bengal apart is the mode of transport used to reach the habitat of the tiger.

Surrounded by the Avaralli and Vindhyachal ranges, the landscape of Ranthambore serves as one of the oft-frequented zones of tigers in India. The size of the park and its environment are two primary elements that determine the population and subsequent chances of spotting tigers. The territorial expanse, deciduous forests, rocky plains, lakes and rivers of Ranthambore confirm a suitable ecological climate for tigers to thrive in. Add to this the comforts of Mughal-inspired tents located on the outskirts of the park for a comfortable overnight stay.

The biggest change is that the favourite tax-saving instrument of risk-averse investors has now become market-linked. The Public Provident Fund (PPF) will give returns that are 25 basis points above the benchmark yield of the 10-year government bond.

Then there is the Direct Taxes Code that may come into effect from April this year. There is also a small, but significant, change for senior citizens.

Last year’s budget lowered the age limit for senior citizen taxpayers from 65 to 60. It also introduced a new category of very senior citizens above 80 with a big exemption of Rs 5 lakh. Despite these alterations, some fundamental principles of tax planning remain unchanged.

Your tax planning should still be guided by your overall financial planning. “Don’t go by advertisements because not all tax-saving investments will suit you,” says Mumbai-based financial planner Kalpesh Ashar.

Your choice of instruments should depend on how soon you need the money, your expectations of returns and ability to take risk. Let us look at the instruments that different types of investors should have in their tax-saving portfolio this year.

TAKE THE ELSS ADVANTAGE

For the taxpayers who embraced market risk by investing in equity-linked savings schemes (ELSS), this may be the last year for investing in this category. The DTC has not included ELSS in the list of tax-saving options. These funds have the shortest lock-in period of three years among all Section 80C instruments. So, your funds are not tied up for five years as in fixed deposits (FDs) and National Savings Certificates (NSCs).

“Given the three-year lock-in period and the level at which the markets are now, it is unlikely that an investor will lose money by investing in ELSS,” says financial consultant Surya Bhatia.

The low minimum investment in these funds (you can start with as little as Rs 500) makes them an ideal stepping stone for the rookie investor.

However, don’t forget that ELSS funds can be risky. So invest systematically rather than in a lump sum. Remember, you have to invest the money before 31 March.

“There is a lot of uncertainty in the market now and it is best to exercise caution and stagger investments in ELSS funds,” says Ajit Menon, executive vice-president and head of sales and marketing, DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund.

Investors can also opt for equity exposure through Ulips. Unlike ELSS funds that cannot be touched during the lock-in period, these insurance-cum-investment plans allow policyholders to tweak the equity and debt allocation according to the market conditions. The New Pension Scheme also gives equity exposure, but this is limited to a maximum of 50% of the corpus.

SAVE EXTRA RS 9,270 THROUGH THE PPF THIS YEAR

The overall limit for investing in the PPF has been raised to Rs 1 lakh now from Rs 70,000 earlier. For someone in the highest tax bracket, this enhanced limit of Rs 30,000 means a potential tax saving of Rs 9,270 a year. “By itself, the PPF is a good long-term investment option, even if it is not done because of tax planning,” says Bhatia.

LOCK INTO TAX-SAVING FDS AT HIGH RATES

For the taxpayers who shy from market risk, fiveyear FDs are the only remaining true fixed income tax-saving instrument.

Even long-time favourites, such as the PPF and NSCs, have become market-linked. Even if the 5-year benchmark bond yield moves up to 9%, NSCs will offer an interest rate of 9.25%. Banks are already offering higher rates of 9-9.5%. For senior citizens, the Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme has become a little attractive.

It will offer an interest rate of 100 basis points above the 5-year government bond yield. But again, tax-saving FDs appear a better bet because banks offer senior citizens a 25-50 basis points higher rate of interest. Be careful with insurance:

For those who flocked to Ulips and insurance policies, there is uncertainty looming on the horizon in the form of the DTC. Under the DTC, insurance plans that don’t give a life cover of at least 20 times the annual premium will not be eligible for deduction.

While the DTC is yet to be passed, there is no clarity for now on the new rules for tax deduction and taxability of insurance income.

These are among the various issues you will need to grapple with when you decide your Section 80C mix for this year. An early start allows you to make an informed decision. Leave everything for the last few weeks of the financial year and you are likely to make a suboptimal choice in your hurry to beat the 31 March deadline.

ET Wealth takes a look at the various investment options under Section 80C and explains the pros and cons of each of these investments.

EMPLOYEE PROVIDENT FUND

This compulsory deduction is also an automatic tax saver. Your monthly contribution to the EPF is eligible for tax deduction under Section 80C. The best part is the tax-free corpus. The only hitch is that you cannot access this money till you retire. If a subscriber is diligent, even if he gets a modest basic salary of Rs 25,000 at 25 years, and a 10% raise every year, his EPF will make him a crorepati by the time he retires. So, don’t give in to the temptation of withdrawing your PF while changing jobs.

If you do this within five years of joining, not only will the withdrawn amount be taxed, even the tax benefits availed of in the previous years will be reversed. Some companies offer consultancy jobs with no EPF contribution. While this pushes up the take-home income, the employee is denied a crucial safety net and the chance to build a tax-free retirement corpus.

PUBLIC PROVIDENT FUND

This option has become even more attractive after the interest rate was benchmarked to the 10-year government bond yield. This year, the PPF will earn 8.6%, 25 basis points above the average benchmark yield in the previous fiscal. The rate will be determined by the yields of gilt securities in the secondary market. This will ensure that the PPF returns are in line with the prevailing market rates.

The annual investment limit has been raised from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Both these changes mean that the PPF investors can build a bigger corpus in the 15-year period. While individuals can extend their PPF accounts beyond 15 years in blocks of five years, HUFs will no longer be allowed this facility.

When you invest in the PPF, the interest is compounded annually, but calculated monthly on the lowest balance between the fifth and the last day of every month. If you invest before the fifth, the contribution will earn interest for that month too. Keep in mind that you must invest at least Rs 500 in the PPF during a financial year or pay a penalty.

NSCs AND BANK FIXED DEPOSITS

Like the PPF, the interest on NSCs has also been linked to the government bond yield in the secondary market. The tenure has also been shortened by a year to five years. The new 5-year NSC will offer an interest rate that is 25 basis points above the 5-year bond yield. Through this step, the government has breathed new life into an instrument that had almost gone the way of T-Rex and its Jurassic cousins.

The government has also introduced a 10-year NSC, which will carry a coupon rate of 50 basis points above the 10-year bond yield. However, tax-saving FDs offered by banks are a better option. Even if the 5-year benchmark bond yield moves up to 9%, the NSC will offer an interest rate of 9.25%.

Banks are already offering higher rates of 9-9.5%. Sure, bank deposits cannot match the safety of a sovereign guarantee that the NSC carries, but if you choose a stable PSU bank or a reputed private bank, there is no reason to worry.

SENIOR CITIZENS’ SAVINGS SCHEME

This assured return scheme has also become a market-linked option from this year. The interest rate of 100 basis points above the 5-year government bond yield is attractive.

However, again, tax-saving FDs appear a better bet because banks offer senior citizens a 25-50 basis points higher rate of interest. This means the interest rate offered is almost 75-125 basis points higher than that offered by the SCSS.

The only good thing about the 5-year SCSS is that it gives a quarterly payout, which is very important for retirees. Plus, there is also the assurance of government backing. The only glitch: there is a Rs 15 lakh investment limit per individual.

This year’s budget has removed an important lacuna in rules regarding senior citizens. Till last year, banks and the Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme considered an individual a senior citizen when he turned 60, but the taxman waited for another five years before extending him the benefit of a lower tax rate. The age limit for senior citizen taxpayers has now been reduced to 60 years.

EQUITYLINKED SAVING SCHEMES

Tax-free dividends, no tax on income, shortest lock-in period, flexibility of investments and potential to give high returns.

All this makes ELSS funds possibly the best way to save tax. However, it may be the worst way to avail of your Section 80C limit if you tend to be reckless with investments and if notional losses give you sleepless nights. ELSS funds carry the same risk as an equity fund, so the SIP route is the best way to go about it.

You may not have too much elbow room if you haven’t already made some taxsaving investments for this financial year. Splitting Rs 70,000-80,000 into three monthly instalments before 31 March will not really serve the purpose.

However, if you plan to invest about Rs 15,000-30,000 in ELSS this year, split the sum into three monthly instalments of Rs 5,000-10,000 each.

Go for the dividend option if you want to book profits periodically. There are apprehensions that the ELSS option will end after the DTC comes into force. However, the industry expects that its representations to the Finance Ministry will be heard and the tax benefits restored.

ELSS is seen as a good way of initiating an investor into equity funds. “When the first-time investor will get good returns, he will start putting more into mutual funds and get into the investing habit,” says Vikaas Sachdeva, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund.

UNIT-LINKED INSURANCE PLANS

Most invest in Ulips don’t know what they are buying. Otherwise, why would they want to surrender a Ulip after the mandatory 3-5-year lock-in period? Just when the pain of the initial years is over and the gains have started, they exit the policy or stop paying the premium.

Buy a Ulip only if you can continue the plan for at least 12-15 years. Before that, the plan may not be able to recover the charges levied in the first few years.

Used well, a Ulip can be an effective asset allocation tool. For this, the investor should be aware of the switching facility as well as understand the various funds in which the Ulips can invest.

You can invest your Ulip corpus in equities as well as debt funds. Currently, long-term debt funds are attractive because of the possibility of a rate cut.

Look at the fact sheet of your Ulip to see which fund holds long-term government bonds and invest this year’s premium in it. Use the debt fund even if you want to invest in equities.

Put this year’s entire premium in the debt fund and then systematically transfer small amounts to the equity fund in monthly instalments of Rs 5,000-10,000. This way, you will be cushioned from the volatility in stock markets and gain from the rise in the bond market.

Make sure your insurance plan is DTC-compliant. The DTC says that to claim tax deduction and tax exemption on maturity, an insurance plan must offer a cover of 20 times the annual premium. Buy a plan only if it meets this criterion.

LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES

The default option for the lazy investor, traditional life insurance policies are perhaps the worst way to save tax. After Ulip charges were capped by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda), insurers have started pushing these debt-based plans.

The buyer pays a heavy price by getting returns that cannot match inflation and get an insurance cover that is too small to be of any significance.

“Customers can choose the specific insurance solution depending on their goals, but they should not compromise on addressing their insurance need,” advises Deepak Sood, CEO & MD, Future Generali Life Insurance. Keep the DTC in mind when you buy a life insurance policy. While the DTC is yet to be passed, it has not explicitly stated whether the new rules for tax deduction and taxability of insurance income will be with prospective effect. However, it seems unlikely that the rule will be with retrospective effect.

If existing policies are also brought under the ambit, 95% of the policies will lose their tax benefits. Even so, don’t buy an insurance policy only to get tax deduction and tax-free income. A PPF account will serve this purpose better. The tax deduction on life insurance brings down the effective cost of the cover. So, if you are in the highest 30% tax slab and pay Rs 10,000 a year for your term insurance cover, your effective cost is only Rs 7,000 a year. This should prompt you to buy a bigger term insurance cover.

PENSION PLANS

This is a useful tool for retirement planning. There are three types of pension plans in the market. Unitlinked pension plans are sold by insurance companies. They offer greater transparency, flexibility and control to the investor. Just like a Ulip, you can tweak the asset allocation in your pension plan depending on your reading of the market and risk appetite. Buying one is fairly easy.

Then there is the New Pension Scheme, which also invests in a mix of equity, debt and money market instruments. The investor can choose any of the six fund houses to manage his investments. However, investing in the NPS is not an easy task because the intermediaries are not interested in selling a scheme that offers them a pittance in commission. There are other concerns as well.

Some of the NPS funds are routinely violating the investment mandate. The NPS itself has not been able to put in place the necessary back-end operations as envisaged in the original architecture of the scheme. You still can’t buy from more than one fund house, thus limiting the choices for the investor. The simplest pension plans are those being sold by mutual fund houses.

The only thing that differentiates these plans from regular funds is the stiff penalty imposed on withdrawals before the investor turns 58. Before you invest in a pension plan, remember that on maturity only 33% can be withdrawn and the rest must compulsorily be used to buy an annuity.

This annuity will pay the investor a monthly income. Till date it was possible to buy a pension plan from one company and shift to another for an annuity when the policy matured. Now, Irda wants that the annuity must also be bought from the same insurer. This is why many companies have stopped selling pension plans.

INFRASTRUCTURE BONDS

The new Section 80CCF gives you an additional tax deduction of Rs 20,000 invested in long-term infrastructure bonds. The higher the tax bracket, the more one saves in tax. An investment of Rs 20,000 will translate into tax savings of Rs 6,180 for those in the highest 30% tax slab (taxable income of over Rs 8 lakh a year).

If you factor in the tax savings as well as the tax on interest income, this is an effective return of almost 14.5% for an investor who exits after five years. For those in the lower 20% tax bracket (earning up to Rs 8 lakh a year), the tax savings will be lower at Rs 4,120.

In the lowest tax bracket (annual income of up to Rs 5 lakh), the investment will save Rs 2,060 in tax. One good thing about these bonds is that after the lock-in period, they can be sold in the secondary debt market. Experts say it is a good idea to invest in the long-term bonds at current rates and hold for a few years. Interest rates seem to have peaked out and when they fall, the value of these 9-9.25% bonds will zoom in the secondary market.

HOUSING OPTION LOAN REPAYMENT

If you are paying a big EMI on your home loan, there may not be much left to invest in tax-saving options. But don’t fret. The principal portion of your home loan EMI gives you tax benefits under Section 80C. This also brings down the effective cost of the loan. To optimise the benefits, take a joint loan with your spouse or parent.

Both co-owners of the property can separately claim tax benefits on the home loan. However, don’t let the tax breaks tempt you to extend the tenure of your loan. The shorter the tenure, the better it is.

TUITION FEES

Fuming over the rise in your child’s school fee? Here’s the good part. The tuition fee paid for up to two children is also eligible for deduction under Section 80C.

This includes the tuition fee paid to any recognised educational institution, playschool and creche. Foreign colleges and universities and private coaching classes do not qualify for the deduction. Also, the fee has to be for the taxpayer’s own children and not siblings, nephews, nieces or grandchildren. Also, the benefit cannot be availed of by both the parents.

If there’s only one child, only one of the parents can claim the tax benefits on the school tuition fee. Otherwise, each parent can claim the tax benefit for different children.

Gujarat is the one state in India that has consistently outperformed the rest of India in terms of agricultural production – and a large portion of this credit goes to Narendra Modi’s long-term vision.

Unlike industry – where Gujarat has always had an edge – agriculture is a freshly-minted success story.

This is not the view of Modi’s acolytes or of BJP partisans, but the Planning Commission, which is run by the PM’s pal Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

According to a report in Business Standard, a Planning Commission working group set up to suggest booster shots for agriculture during the 12th plan – which starts next April – said that Gujarat and Chhattisgarh were the states to emulate. Narendra Modi

If food security is as much about stoking an agricultural revolution as about redistributing available food to the poor, Gujarat is the place to seek answers from. Adnan Abidi/Reuters

In the period from 1999-00 to 2008-09, Gujarat reported a huge 11.5 percent annual average growth in agriculture (at 1999-00 prices). This dwarfs the national average of 3.5 percent during the five-year period 2007-12 and just 2.2 percent in 2002-07.

Should one credit Modi for this miracle? Apparently, so. For, the real change happened after 2002 – the year after Modi took over. Says the Planning Commission working group: “A closer examination of the data in respect of Gujarat shows that the state made remarkable increase in raising agriculture production after 2002-03.”

The Planning Commission isn’t the only one impressed with agriculture’s progress in Gujarat. Another fan of Modi’s achievements is Shankar Acharya, former chief economic adviser to the government of India and honorary professor at Icrier in Delhi.

In an article titled Agriculture: be like Gujarat, Acharya gives six reasons why the state cracked the agricultural jinx.

Remember, Gujarat is not a state blessed with lots of irrigated land. Most of its land is semi-arid, and getting any crop out of it is a big effort.

So what did Modi do right? Six things, principally.

First, he focused on sustained water conservation and management programmes. Gujarat is one of the biggest users of drip irrigation in India today, and built many check dams, small ponds and minor irrigation sources. In 2008, Gujarat had 113,738 check dams and 240,199 little ponds dotting the state.

Second, the state launched a massive and well-coordinated extension effort – telling farmers what to grow, when to grow, how to grow and how to maximise output.

Third, Modi completely overhauled rural power supply. Even though supplies are subsidised, farmers get assured power. This contrasts with other states that offer free power, but irregularly and unpredictably.

Four, says Shankar Acharya, agriculture’s allied sectors – like livestock development – were given a boost. This ensured steady and sustainable growth in rural incomes – a prerequisite for comprehensive food security.

Five, Modi also promoted non-food crops and horticulture, Bt cotton, castor, and isabgol. Contrast this with the endless debates we now have about the dangers – or otherwise — GM seeds.

Six, Gujarat made huge investments in infrastructure – especially rural roads, electricity and ports.

A report by IIM professors Ravindra Dholakia and Samar Datta says it all in one paragraph.

The big question: is the Gujarat model replicable? Dholakia and Datta answer with an emphatic yes.

Clearly, there is no short-cut to food security. We do not know whether Gujarat has been as successful in making food available to it poor as it has been in raising rural incomes and agriculture. But it has got at least one part of the food security equation right.

Maybe the National Advisory Council of Sonia Gandhi would be better off taking a train to Gujarat to find out how key elements of food security – an agricultural revolution, among them – can be put in place.

The last attempt, in 2007, to curb telemarketers by setting up a Do Not Call (DNC) Registry failed miserably. But the National Consumer Preference Registry, the latest effort that has missed many launch deadlines, raises hope for putting an end to pesky calls and messages.

TRAI has strengthened the DNC guidelines and revamped registration norms for the telemarketers. Here’s how the new set of guidelines will work.

• New number for telemarketers

Telemarketers to be assigned a distinct series beginning with 140.


• Penalty imposed

The minimum penalty for violations has been set at Rs 25,000 against Rs 500 at present. As the penalties will progressively increase, the sixth violation will attract Rs 2.5 lakh fine.


• Blacklisting

Telemarketers can also be blacklisted for two years after the sixth violation. Service providers will be barred from providing any telecom resource to blacklisted telemarketers.


• Restriction on number of SMSes

The number of text messages or SMSes that can be sent will be restricted to 100 a day for prepaid and 3,000 a month for post-paid telephone numbers.


• Barred timings

No calls and messages are permitted between 9 pm and 9 am.


• How to register for DND?

Dial or send an SMS to 1909 to register with NCPR or register at www.nccptrai.gov.in

Choose categories of commercial messages/calls to be blocked. Those already registered with National Do Not Call Registry (NDNC), need not re-register.

Customers – Customers (landline and mobile) who do not want to receive commercial communications can dial or SMS to 1909 (toll free) and register in either of the two categories:

Fully Blocked Category – stoppage of all commercial Calls/SMS
Partially Blocked Category – stoppage of all commercial Calls/SMS except SMS from one of the opted preferences

For registering option using SMS, for ‘fully blocked category’, write “START 0″ and send it to 1909. For ‘partially blocked category’, send SMS ‘START’ with one or multiple options from the list of seven categories.

There are at present 7 preferences to choose from- Banking/Insurance/Financial Products/Credit Cards-1, Real Estate-2, Education-3, Health-4, Consumer goods and automobiles-5, Communication/Broadcasting/Entertainment/IT, Tourism-7.

For example: To receive messages relating to only Health products, then send SMS “START 4″ to 1909. Similarly, for receiving messages relating to Real Estate and Education, send SMS “START 2,3″ to 1909.

On successful registration, customer will receive an SMS confirming exercised options and a Unique Registration Number within 24 hrs. The registration will be effective within 7 days of placing the request with the service provider. The customers can check the status of their registration by clicking on “Customer Registration Status”.

Customer can also change the preferences after 7 days of registration or the last change of preference.


• Blocked categories
• Banking & financial products – 1
• Communication & entertainment – 6
• Tourism or leisure – 7
• Consumer goods – 5
• Automobiles – 5
• Real estate – 2
• Education – 3
• Health – 4

Not sure whether many of our politicians are aware of someone called Issac Newton. Actor Om Puri certainly does not believe they do. He said half of the parliamentarians were anpadh (uneducated) and ganwaars (country bumpkins) the other day. He also claimed later that he was not drunk while uttering these pearls of wisdom. Being what they are in Puri’s estimation, they are unlikely to be in the know of the English physicist. But forget the actor for the moment.

The political behaviour of our leaders follows Newton’s law to the T. They act and react all the time, even when there’s nothing to act on or react to. The television is fascinated no end by this exercise. As it goes on to build high drama around it, we get sucked into the everyday antics of politicians without even realising that we have been taken for a ride.

Let’s have look at the pattern of political developments on a routine day.

The Congress acts, the BJP reacts, or it is the other way round. The Congress reacts to the reaction, the BJP reacts again – in opposite and equal measure. Things proceed all through the day with television channels getting progressively hyper about all the actions and reactions.

The breaking news slots fill up with words and expressions that have a street fight feel – slam, attack, offensive, challenge, setback, hit out, strike back and rebuff. There’s some more action and reaction through the evening, leading up to the big panel discussion where only the anchor acts and reacts. End of the day. Another bout starts tomorrow.

It’s like the movies of the 70s. If there are two heroes and they get into a fight, which they had to if it was a so-called action movie, the blows they exchange must be equal in number – kick for kick, punch for punch and jab for jab. The first one acted with suitable contortion of the face, the other reacted, and the audience lapped it up gleefully. It was the same in case of dialogues too. Only, it was cinema and the audience knew what to expect.

Our politicians must have picked up their tricks from the movies. In the final count, both are about audiences and grabbing eyeballs. Even Team Anna, despite being in the serious business of fighting corruption, was aware of the ground reality. How would one explain the skit act of Kiran Bedi or the relentless dialoguebaazi of Arvind Kejriwal. The great man Anna himself succumbed to the temptation by coming up with some interesting words against the government.

Even Team Anna, despite being in the serious business of fighting corruption, was aware of the ground reality. Reuters

Earlier, Baba Ramdev put up a serious dialogue-action show. He had started enjoying it immensely when the Delhi Police decided to play spoilsport. Baba will never forgive the police or the government for that. But the movements of Anna and Ramdev were of a limited time span. We knew these would end at some point.

But politics is serious business. Politicians are supposed to do other things than just acting, reacting and attacking and counterattacking. In the business they are in, there is no scope for comic relief as in the case of movies.

Frankly, it’s getting too much. But blame it on yourself. Gullibility is no great virtue. Being politically hitched this way or that to some degree mentally and programmed to the ways of the herd, we respond to politicians with or without intending to do so.

Om Puri’s gaalis for politicians could well apply to us too. Don’t we give too much attention to the leaders even when we feel they don’t deserve that? Don’t we allow our television channels and anchors to restrict our world to actions and reactions of the parties and leaders?

Puri could have called us anpadhs too. But he claims he was not drunk that day. Let’s trust him.