- Saturday, May 18, 2024
The 61-year-old chess icon later clarified that his comment was a joke and should not be seen as his expertise on Indian politics.
By: Shubham Ghosh
FORMER world champion in chess, Garry Kasparov, recently mentioned about Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi saying the latter should first win his electoral challenge from the constituency of Rae Bareli in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh before challenging for the top.
The 61-year-old, who is now a pro-democracy campaigner who lives in Croatia after finding it increasingly difficult to live in Russia, wrote in response to a post by a user on X, “Traditional (sic) dictates that you should first win from Raebareli before challenging for the top,” the Russian legend, who retired from competitive chess in 2005, wrote in response to a post by a user on the platform.
Hours later, Kasparov tweeted that his comment was just a joke and should not be seen as his expertise on Indian politics.
“I very much hope my little joke does not pass for advocacy or expertise in Indian politics! But as an “all-seeing monster with 1000 eyes,” as I was once described, I cannot fail to see a politician dabbling in my beloved game,” the chess player, who had retired in 2005, said in response to a post by Indian actor Ranvir Shorey who appeared to take a dig at Gandhi’s recent remark that he was the best chess player among all politicians in the country.
Read: Rae Bareli: The constituency where a sitting PM lost
I very much hope my little joke does not pass for advocacy or expertise in Indian politics! But as an "all-seeing monster with 1000 eyes," as I was once described, I cannot fail to see a politician dabbling in my beloved game! https://t.co/MlBnR4PeZ6
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) May 3, 2024
The former Russian grandmaster gave the same reply to a few other users who made comments on his original post.
Read: India picks Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli but questions remain
In a recent video, Gandhi called Kasparov his favourite chess player and compared the game with politics.
“I like Kasparov. he puts a lot of psychological pressure. He’s a non-linear thinker,” the 53-year-old Indian National Congress leader can be heard saying in the video.
Kasparov mentioned Rae Bareli, from where Gandhi has filed nomination for the upcoming elections on May 7. He is also contesting from his current constituency in Wayanad in the southern state of Kerala which he won in the 2019 elections. He lost his old constituency Amethi in that election.
The Congress picked Gandhi as its candidate from Rae Bareli in the eleventh hour after it was vacated by its former chief and Rahul’s mother Sonia Gandhi earlier this year.
Kasparov, who became the world champion in 1985 at the age of 22 and is a contemporary of Indian great Viswanathan Anand, recently praised Indian teen D Gukesh who improved his record of becoming the youngest challenger to the world title by clinching the Candidates Tournament in Toronto, Canada.
In a post on X last April, he described Gukesh as “the Indian earthquake in Toronto” and said the “children” of Anand are on the loose.
Congratulations! The Indian earthquake in Toronto is the culmination of the shifting tectonic plates in the chess world as the 17 year old Gukesh D will face the Chinese champion Ding Liren for the highest title. The "children" of Vishy Anand are on the loose! https://t.co/Lm52orDYs8
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) April 22, 2024
