A question of interest

The chairman of a public sector bank faced an unusual request from a journalist recently during the bank’s press conference to announce its financial results. A journalist jokingly asked him whether he would be willing to extend home and car loans to reporters at an interest rate of five per cent since the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had cut the policy rate. “Even RBI doesn’t permit us to offer loans at that rate. If I do that you will ask questions tomorrow. So, you stop asking questions and I’ll give you cheaper loans,” he replied.