Purushottam Bhatnagar own and operates a sweetshop Puru and Sons. He is about 60 years old is eager to hand over the business to his sons Ratan and Pramod. He however, fears that his sons, fresh from college may not understand the tricks of the trade.
Purushottam sends a batch of sweets to the police station across the street every day. Ratan construed it as a bribe and wanted to stop this practice. Which of the following arguments,\(IF\ TRUE\), would BEST convince Ratan \(\underline{NOT}\) to give up this practice?
To convince Ratan \(\underline{NOT}\) to give up the practice of sending sweets to the police station, we need to find an argument that demonstrates this action is not a bribe but rather a part of Purushottam's regular practice or goodwill gesture. Let's evaluate the options:
| Options | Analysis |
|---|---|
| In the last three years, three attempts to burgle Puru and Sons were effectively foiled by the police. | This option implies a possible motive for bribing, as the sweets could be seen as a reward for police protection. |
| Each policeman receives only two pieces of sweet, too small to be considered a bribe. | This argument highlights the small quantity but doesn't eliminate the perception of bribery completely. |
| The police in return send two policemen in mufti to mingle with the customers during rush hours to prevent pickpockets. | This reciprocal action suggests a quid pro quo relationship, supporting the bribe interpretation. |
| Every day, Purushottam also sends a batch of sweets to the school next to the station, an orphanage nearby, and the temple at the end of the street. | This suggests that sending sweets is a general practice and not specifically targeted as a bribe to the police. |
| Purushottam’s competitor Uttampurush who runs a sweetshop in the same street and his neighbour Mahapurush who runs a samosa stall, both do similar things every day. | This argument indicates a common practice in the business community, reducing its exclusivity as bribery, but doesn't directly relate to Purushottam's intentions. |
The best argument is: Every day, Purushottam also sends a batch of sweets to the school next to the station, an orphanage nearby, and the temple at the end of the street. This option shows consistency in Purushottam's actions across different recipients, indicating a general practice rather than a targeted bribe.