Page 56 - Tehelka Issue 14E

WORLD CUP
BOOK REVIEW

FIFA WORLD CUP 2018: FRENCH the 19-year-old young player MORE ACTIVISTS LIKE GAURI MAY posters and memorials and nation-
wide protests were held in her hon-
of the tournament claimed
HELP INDIA DETOX INTOLERANCE
TOAST BUT CHEERS FOR CROATIA! his fourth goal in Russia and our demanding justice. This memoir
by Rajghatta also delves on private
became the first teenager to
and more intimate side of Lankesh.
score in a final since the great
Pele himself in 1958. After In his book Illiberal India: Gauri Lankesh And The Age Of “This ‘legend’ was hardly the Gauri I
What Croatian Coach Zlatko Dalic said after loss to France sums successive attempts, the Unreason, senior journalist and analyst Chidanand Rajghatta knew. My memories were personal,
up the FIFA World Cup 2018 final: “We lacked the luck that we had chances of Croatia striking examines the rights activist’s life against the volatile backdrop of of a private person; I had little idea
back again looked almost
of her public persona,” he writes.
throughout the tournament. The first two goals went against us as we impossible but they were an increasingly fractious and violent India, writes ABDUL WASEY He describes Lankesh as a dispu-
conceded twice from set pieces. It’s difficult for players to find the energy to given a lifeline by French ob lynching is a encers through a language of power tatious person yet good-natured,
goalkeeper, Lloris, who tried
large-hearted and fair-minded. It
get back every time. It’s difficult to come back against such a good France to dribble round Mandzukic crime no matter and a wider audience at the grass- does seem a little strange, however,
side.” While the world celebrated the France win, for Croatia, the Sunday only for the striker to block what the motive is, roots through her mother tongue to read a description about her that
In his book, senior journalist and
night was a night of pain and agony as it stopped one short of the the ball and send it into the Supreme Court analyst Rajghatta examines her life focuses on her “slender but supple
has ruled, add-
physique honed by yoga in her youth
the unguarded net. They
World Cup crown, writes MANIK AHUJA continued fighting, refusing M ing that it is a law against the volatile backdrop of an and dissipated later.”
to accept defeat and contin- and order issue that is the respon- increasingly fractious and intoler- But aside from this slightly
o France has England beat West Germany minute because of the own ued making forays, which sibility of state governments. The ant India. These two elements come specific and perhaps a bit sexual
lifted the coveted way back in 1966 by 4-2. goal. Then came the moment unfortunately for their fans recent spike in the incidents of mob together in the murder of Gauri description, Rajghatta paints the pic-
World Cup for However, in the end it was which may keep the VAR didn’t lead to any more goals. violence against individuals and Lankesh who took on the extrem- ture of a fiery woman who spoke her
the second time the statistic that favoured debate at the top of sport’s Croatia, beaten by the French communities highlights the bitter ist forces and fought for a more mind about her political beliefs but
S in style as a 4-2 Ferance who have become agenda. Perisic flapped an in the 1998 semi-finals in realities of contemporary India. equitable society and a better India. was also conscious of her own ability
victory over Croatia in a most the World champions for the arm at a corner and ignoring their first World Cup appear- People across the country now After her murder, Lankesh became to hurt another in her personal life
dramatic and entertain- second time after an earlier Croatian protests, Griezmann ance, continued to press but seems to be riven by hate. One of a symbol of resistance for critics of and was careful about avoiding such
ing match. Indeed the big win on home soil in 1998. stroked the ball home in the their energy was sapped and the victims of hate crimes in recent Hindutva. Her face was placed on a situation.
guns of France delivered France is now on the 38th minute for his fourth France held out. Croatia’s past was journalist and right activist The book highlights how journal-
on the biggest stage when top of the world with some goal of Russia 2018. That fans saluted and cheered Gauri Lankesh, who was gunned ists living outside the comfort of
it mattered the most. After as young as just 19. They made it the highest-scoring their heroes while torrential down by assassins in front of her Delhi and other metros, while doing
an early own goal by Mario preserved their right state first half since the World Cup rain lashed down on the home in Bengaluru on 5 September ILLIBERAL INDIA: their job of exposing the corrupt,
Mandzukic, Paul Pogba and of mind and showed mental 1974. But there was more to presentation ceremony. 2017. The latest book Illiberal India: GAURI LANKESH often end up paying with their lives.
Kylian Mbappe hit the target. and psychological strength come. Croatia were on top As Croatian Coach said, Gauri Lankesh And The Age Of Un- AND THE AGE OF There is a certain vulnerable air that
Ivan Perisic and Mandzukic till the end of the tourna- again after the break but “We are sad but proud at reason by her former husband and UNREASON envelops them as they go about their
replied for Croatia, but could ment. Croatia had more of France went 3-1 up on the the same time,” he said. “We friend Chidanand Rajghatta not only BY: CHIDANAND work in small towns and badlands
RAJGHATTA
not change the fortunes of the ball, about 61 per cent hour as Mbappe and Griez- played well but the penalty profiles her persona but also chroni- 242 PP; 995 of the country far removed from the
France. Another highlight of more to be specific, and mann combined to set up knocked the wind out of us cles her activism for social justice. civic order that informs the metros.
the match was that it was the showed good energy but Pogba on the edge of the box. and after that it was very dif- Following in the method of The primitive gunning down of
highest scoring decider since went behind in the 18th Six minutes later Mbappe, ficult. We have been dignified previous murders of rationalists Gauri Lankesh in front of her home,
in our victories and we must M.M. Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and in the most metropolitan of all cities
be in defeat as well.” Indeed Narendra Dabholkar, Lankesh’s — Bengaluru — also brought into
the Croatian team had de- murder chilled the nation, sparking limelight the shocking response
fied odds to reach the final. off protests across India. Even as the from ‘illiberal India’ on social media
“We were all sad and police unravels the plot behind her about such killings. In this backdrop,
downcast after the game murder and connects it to the oth- pinning responsibility to act against
ended. But, I told them to ers, the larger forces that killed these the mob that take law and order in
hold their heads high and be four activists continue to grow. its hands may go a long way in re-
proud of their display. Some- A fierce critic of the burgeoning storing trust and peace among com-
times in football you lose, Hindutva faction in Karnataka and mon people. The misuse of social
but you need to be dignified other parts of India, and a strident media, as the book suggests, should
in defeat too,” the coach said. supporter of separate-religion status also be tamed. And the recent court
Indeed while France has for Lingayats, Lankesh’s activism verdict against mob violence may be
won the cup, the toast is for had made her many foes. Fluent the first step towards achieving a bit
Croatia. in Kannada and English, she was a more tolerant country.
particular threat to her ideological
LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM enemies — able to reach the influ- LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

56 Manik.indd 3 7/17/2018 8:52:28 PM 57 Book Review.indd 3 7/17/2018 8:53:11 PM