'First smirk from sensex: it's up 150 points'

As the finance minister begins his speech after the customary brouhaha by the opposition, let’s take stock on what is being said on the speech and the event on social media – and we’ll also keep an eye on thew world beyond the budget, like Anna Hazare.

Pritish Nandy says and asks, “I fear for Pranabda now. Suppose Sonia doesn’t like his Budget, like Mamata did not like Dinesh Trivedi’s?”

Earlier, Nandy had said, “I am stupid. I judge a budget by how the Sensex reacts to it. Just as I would judge a horse by those who back it.”

And later, the philosopher in Nandy makes its presence felt. “I have noticed one thing about the Budget every year. Only the bad things hurt me. The good things never reach me.

And why are you following the budget on Firstpost? The Hindu’s N Ram, who’s at FICCI Frames, provides the answer. @ParitoshJoshi, who is at Frames, tweets “Newspapers, Broadcast TV in irreversible decline. Gloom in mature media mkts. Digital journalism improving rapidly. No pay model yet. N Ram.”

Wait for this one. It’s not come yet.@Forbes_India asks, “Any guesses on which poet/philosopher/writer pranabda will quote #budget2012”

Nikhil Pahwa is at the IT Conclave and gives Anna Hazare a thumbs down. “Frankly, I’d prefer if anna hazare looked at changing the way people vote, instead of ranting against politicians,” Pahwa says.

Preet Bedi is also at the IT Conclave and scores Hazare’s talk. “Sat thru Anna Hazare"s session at the India Today Conclave. Heard for the nth time that he lives in a temple owns nothing, congress is horrible, everything needs to change, we need to send politicians to jail. Yaaaaaawn. Appropriately tepid response. Not a great choice as the opening session. barely 4 out of 10,”

Comment from Forbes India: “First smirk from the Sensex, 15 minutes into the budget, it’s up 150 points.” ‘Smirk from the Sensex”. Cute. Thumbs up!