The year of the lord, 2008, has seen terror in Bombay, of course. But it has also seen massive floods in Bihar. It has seen inflation in double digits, and jobs in danger. It has seen communal flare-ups in Orissa and Karnataka. It has seen the stock markets return to earth. Etcetera. Indeed, as the year winds to a close, 2008 also sees India veering dangerously close to war, and the India Story that was on everybody’s lips at the start of the year now seems like a horrible cliche.
Is 2008 the worst year in our history, our annus horribilis? How does it compare with 1948 or 1984?
Never. 1992 is the worst year. It is the year when it all started. It is the year when the three pillars of Indian democracy were demolished in the shape of the three domes of Babri Masjid.
To Dipankar Gupta & Co………
Think we should train our guns on some of our “eminent academics” too who waste taxpayers money by churning out incomprehensible wordage and teach students dogma and manifestos where they should impart intellectual objectivity and rigour!!
1975
do not forget 1975.
Why everyone forgets about 1962 war with China where we lost miserably. Why we forget Emergency 1975, for no reason common man made to suffer in the hands of police and bureaucracy
T Azeez Luthfullah – Sir, you make me laugh. In what way were those miserable domes, “pillars” of democracy? If anything, they were standing testimony to Islamic gangsterism..uncouth and brutal.
What happened in 1992 was just desserts.
I think we are better off these days than in the past. Hope it gets better. Faster.
Please do not feed the troll T Azeez Luthfullah
Yes, 1975 June 25th yo be more precise, then think of the many Commissions that probed and the so-called protectors of democracy how they were shown the way. Why ? Just for the sake a single person. Because a conscientious judge gave a judgement which was not acceptable to the concerned party. 2008… why do you conduct polls, Pollmuri? Massive floods and earthquakes can occur at any time. Similarly wild fires. In my opinion , it will be a part of the history just like any other year.
2008..most horrible..why..did we have a nuclear holocaust or is it because of a mild recession ?
By far, 1975 emergency is my choice..democracy got murdered..we fell into the league of dictatorial entities like uganda/pakistan..
O yes..worst year..for churumuri maybe..As its online campaign against Karnataka BJP came cropper..BSY coming to power is a fact that still appears far from reality for many !
luftullah,if you are such a champion of democracy then how cum you have an arabian name.THe last time I checked Arabia was an islamic fascist theocracy which exported its religion to people like you whose coreligionists all over the world cannot even exercise the right to vote in islamic countries.See pok vs indian kashmir which recently voted.
You talking about democracy is like a tiger lecturing about vegetarianism.First make sure people like you who live in INdia practice free will and dont listen to their mullahs on how to vote and whom to vote just before elections.Your hatred for one party because of its nationalist ethos,makes you vote tactically to defeat it and let secular scoundrels rule and loot for 60 yrs.And then you want special commision for muslims as if there are no other poor thanks to your voting in secular scoundrels like laoo and mulayam who keep people poor.And you have
no ability to even analyze and you are an english literate so called educated minority
Nope, it would have to be 1975
Ivan…. well said..
I am 34 years old and in my lifetime I think this was the worst year so far with so many incidents. I think this could also be the breaking point. We seem to have a very tolerant attitude towards calamities and just forget it and move on.
I dont think India can bend any further. We just need to hit back and reform our political system and our country
If the question whether 2008 was the worst year is based on the chain of terrorist acts which hit the country, culminating in the Mumbai carnage, I am of the sober view that this is not the worst year. Future might hold worse things for India and Indians. If the Central Government continues to dilly dally about tackling terrorists and harbourers of terrorism with Iron Hand, we are bound to see worse things in the years to come. If the Christian terrorism in the north east, and muslim terrorism in the rest of the country are subordinated to vote bank politics of UPA, there will be less and less effort to put down terrorism. We had better brace ourselves to face worse things. In fact, vigelantism might become a feature of the safety measures adopted by the citizens, in future days.
The worst year in Indian history has to be 1975, closely followed by 1962.
In 1975, Indira Gandhi almost turned this country into a Banana Republic, by staging a coup against our constitution. Almost all organs of the state conspired with her. It took a resilient fight of 2 years to have that reversed. Had she succeeded in that effort, today we’d have been no better than Pakistan – A basket case.
1962 also is a very depressing year, when India lost its innocence and had to face up to the fact that it is surrounded by non-friendly states, when it lost the war and substantial portion of its land to china.
1933…..Devegowdru’s birth year
Well said NanDellidli
Nimdu Elladru itkolli Aadre 1933 can be worst year for Karnataka not for India.