If you go back to any period in India's history, all the hard decisions this country had to take were taken when the Congress was in power.

The voter does not vote only on one issue, the voter votes on a multiplicity of issues.

A government can do only what is feasible given the political and economic context.

All wisdom does not reside in Delhi.

Criticism of a policy is welcome. But in the garb of criticizing a policy, if you allege that the policy was made for corrupt purposes, I reject it.

Evidence points out that if you raise tariffs too much it will increase smuggling.

Growth is a panacea for many ills in society; not entirely, but many.

I don't think we should label budgets even before the budget is presented.

I respect the view of a rating agency, but I do not make a budget for the rating agency. I make a budget for the people of India.

I think people respect governments that take decisions and act decisively.

In income tax, there is no case for amnesty.

Independence is a very subjective assessment.

It is possible that, post-Kyoto, the developed countries will recognise the requirements of the developing world.

Let me tell you, very frankly, when I went to the Harvard Business School I was more or less a committed socialist.

People are wiser than we are willing to attribute to them.

Police can only act on intelligence.

The police force cannot be completely independent of the executive government.

Today, to allege corruption seems to be the pastime of most people. All kinds of allegations are leveled. I think it is self-defeating.

We cannot afford to leave the poor behind.

When I came back to India after Harvard Business School, I started as a lawyer and as a trade union leader.