2008 : The Year That (Unfortunately) Was
2008 - The Year In India
The year started off well, with stock markets booming and our economy growing like never before. But by the end of January itself there were signs of a global economic slowdown – which began in developed nations (usually read as US) during the end of 2007 – affecting India and skeptics predicting the slowing down of our growth rate from 9 percent to somewhere between 6 and 7 percent.
The situation has only worsened in 2009 with Satyam’s betrayal of investors, triggering another steep fall in the stock markets (and also the Indian IT industry’s respect in the global market). But now economists (I mean experts of Nobel Prize caliber) say the problem started in mid-2005 itself, but it is impossible to predict a slowdown.
Another event of international importance was the N-Deal with the US. The age old filthy politics and horse-trading in Lok Sabha that accompanied the deal left many doubting the good that the agreement would actually do. But one thing is for sure: India emerged as an important global power after the NSG exemption.
Then there were the usual:
Terrorism – Though this is a late entrant, it has become quite a nuisance since past few years. With Indian Mujahideen, Islamic Terror has become domestic.
Hindu extremists also tried to catch up with their Muslim counterparts.
Communalism – The Amarnath Shrine Board land allotment controversy and violence against Christians in Kandhamal, and not to forget the useless hullabaloo over the Batla House encounter in Delhi.
Regionalism -Though problems of basic autonomy in North-East and needless autonomy in some southern states seem to linger on forever, Raj Thackeray revived regionalism in Maharashtra, following his estranged uncle’s violent tactics (remember Balasaheb and the Tamil connection).
And as if the Bangalore, Gujarat, Delhi and Guwahati serial blasts were not enough, we had the Mumbai terror attacks to conclude the year. With about 172 people dead, our poor intelligence setup and porous coasts were exposed. Also laid bare was the impotency of democracy in our neighbourhood, apart from their false claims and fake initiatives against terror in the South Asian region.
Overall, the year was bad for some, for many terrible and worst ever for most (but not any better than “ok” for anyone, I’m sure). For 2009 we have two options. Either we pause (not linger in the past, mind it) and ponder, introspect and then move ahead. Or do what we do best (and always) : forget the past and move ahead anyway.
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