This is perhaps the most amusing comment i have read in recent times. I also like N Vittal’s statement – ‘you only hear bali ka bakra, do you hear bali ka haathi or bali ka Sher?’.

Similarly for many of today’s writers (including yours truly) the easiest thing to do is to attack the bakra. Catch hold of the agent and say “why are you selling garbage…you limpet?” and he would say…”Sorry this product is designed by……”. So what you cannot sell garbage – did you not read Mint? It says ‘Agents sell garbage’ as long as they are paid their cut.

Let us take a conversation:

Ms. Intellectual: Hey agent you are selling ‘Garbage’

Agent: Sorry Ma’am I am selling a product which people buy.

Ms. I : Oh people do not know what is good for them.

A: but…they ask me for a child plan, retirement plan…

Ms: Only we at Delhi know what is good for them…they do not

A: Ma’am I sell term insurance…is that bad

Ms: Only the government companies have good products…you are selling garbage!

A: Maam Term insurance was introduced in India by Hdfc ..not LIC. Even today Ageon Religare is the cheapest, not LIC

Ms: No, no only government and people like us know what is good for the people..

A: Maam all the products I sell are approved by IRDA, or overseen by SEBI, I have studied in a government college..

Ms. I: I have decided that you are selling garbage, how dare you mere graduate argue with me? I am qualified you know

A: Sorry Ma’am the company whose products I sell also has highly qualified people..and I think they design the product and your IRDA approves it. Then the media advertises it, then websites write about it….then we sell garbage (oops see how influential you are!)

Ms. I: I think people like you should be hung from the nearest post. Only problem is people like Subra will not know what to write. He will have to go back to broking..or really back to accounting and audit. By the way stop selling garbage.

A: Ma’am I only know to sell financial products should I start selling Gillette blades, they are really good I believe..and they do a lot of advertising.

Ms. I : hmmm see you realise that selling garbage does not help. I really like Financial literacy

A: Ma’am the end buyer is not a fool…he knows what he / she is doing

Ms. I: Only if we tell him in a way that he understands..

A: Oh like the government gets excise duty so it allows cigarettes to be sold, or puts the head of Pepsi in its council of advisors, or lets McDonalds spread and create obesity…

Ms. I : Now do not get personal. People know what is good for them so they choose correctly

A: I agree ma’am we sell garbage, but people buy good stuff created by qualified MBAs, CAs, etc. approved by government authorities (Sucheta Dalal says SEBI has to be regulated too!), ..how such good stuff turns to garbage when we sell it beats me. Will you ask somebody to do an article? I will ask IFA galaxy to put it up on their site