BENGALURU: It’s not everyday that the work of a debutant author gets compared to the likes of a pioneering figure in Indian literature like Dom Moraes, and that too by Ramachandra Guha. But that’s just the kind of buzz that Neyaz Farooquee’s book, An Ordinary Man’s Guide To Radicalism, has managed to generate. The book is a memoir and chronicles the 30-year-old author’s journey from a small village in Bihar to studying in and working in New Delhi, many events that shaped him as a person and his identity as a Muslim. Neyaz released his book in the city a few days back and spoke to City Express.
Tell us a bit about your book?
The book at its core is about being a Muslim in India. It talks about my growing up years in Gopalganj in Bihar, coming to New Delhi in 1997 at the age of 10. When I came to Delhi I realised that the discourse here was very different from back home. In Bihar we only talked about being pious and offering namaz, but in the capital, people were talking about things like Babri Masjid, Palestine.
One major aspect of the book is about the Batla House encounters in 2008 that took place not very far from where I was staying when I was a student at the Jamia Milia Islamia. It changed many lives including mine. I was aimless at this point in time and was preparing for the civil service exams. After this incident, I decided to become a journalist and so basically I am trying to reflect on all these stories through the book.
Is your book more relevant now in the present political climate?
My book would have been relevant at any point of time in India. However, it definitely holds more significance now. Bigotry has become open. People are not even subtle anymore. All this is happening right in the center, the seat of power. This democracy has chosen leaders who openly spout hate messages, especially against Muslims which is sad.
Tell us about your association with Bengaluru?
I got the New India Fellowship in 2014 that is given out by the New India Foundation based in Bengaluru. It is because of this grant that I got a chance to write this book. It gives one monetary and economic freedom. I took a break from my regular job with The Hindustan Times in New Delhi to concentrate on my book. I was in Bengaluru for sometime in 2014 when I just started my writing. I was staying with two of my friends who were working here. They are also a part of my book. I really enjoyed staying here and wish I could have remained longer and even completed my book here.
What do you have to say about Guha endorsing your book?
If someone like Guha says here’s a good book, especially for a first-time author like me, it means a lot. It has helped me and the book in a great way. If you are writing something good but somebody does not spot it and it does not get circulated then I think there is no point in writing something great.
