There is enough richness of legacy in our society and history that ensures resilience when the times are unfavourable. It is with this sense that we are left at the passing of 2018 and as we ring in the new year with our readers, wishing them optimism, stability, and advancement.
The year gone by had a poor beginning, with the four most senior judges of the Supreme Court — one of whom is now the Chief Justice — doing the unthinkable by calling a press conference in order to reach the wider public with their lament that the executive was steamrolling the judiciary, with the then CJI not standing up for institutional independence.
As the year wore on, the executive came under criticism from diverse quarters, not just political opponents, for trying to undermine various institutions such as the Election Commission, RBI, and CBI.
But the sharp decline in governance really came on full view with hate-filled groups and larger mobs descending on dalits and the minorities as the executive just looked on. The social fabric of India, rising from its great diversities, still remains strong, but this is not for want of trying to give it a hard shake by ideologically regressive elements whose political sway was assured after the general election of 2014.
The mismanagement of the economy by the government — reflecting the negative outcomes of both demonetisation and the faulty and hurried implementation of the Goods and Services Tax — was on full view all through 2018 as the output of industry and businesses suffered, and the country’s farmers rose in protest, eventually impacting the recent Assembly elections in three Hindi heartland states, leading to the revitalisation of the Congress under its new leader Rahul Gandhi.
The politico-security scenario suffered with the government showing myopia and ineptness in dealing with the sensitive issue of Jammu and Kashmir. In foreign affairs, the government did finally make adjustments to correct course in 2018 in order to not leave all the eggs in the American basket. This was a positive. However, diplomacy in the neighbourhood, so crucial to the success of any foreign policy outlook, still lies in the trough.
Whatever the record of the government, the people of India have shone. Our scientists and sportspersons — across a range of fields — have done us proud. The year began with Isro sending up 31 satellites in a single launch, and our first nuclear-capable submarine took its first tour of duty this year, completing the triad of deterrence. In Kerala, in August, as large parts of the state were flooded, the people were once again to the fore, showing remarkable initiative, innovation and energy. We are sure the country will carry this spirit in the new year.
