Smart talk

Revenue Secretary Sumit Bose and Adviser to the Finance Minister Parthasarathi Shome attended the Central Excise Day function just three days before the Union Budget, to be presented today. Everyone was waiting anxiously for their speeches to provide pointers to the Budget. But Bose was smart. He said: "I have too many numbers in my head floating around this time of the year. So, I won't be able to make a long speech." Shome was smarter. He gave a long and interesting speech but it all revolved around the history of taxation and the importance of the Goods and Services Tax.