NEW DELHI: Over 100 writers, translators and publishers have written an open letter accusing the ‘JCB Prize for Literature’ of hypocrisy, saying the British bulldozer producer firm that funds it performed a “major role in the horrifying destruction of homes” throughout India and Palestine. They stated the BJP authorities has constantly used JCB bulldozers in a “systemic campaign” to demolish Muslim houses, retailers and locations of worship throughout numerous Indian states — “an ongoing mission disturbingly named ‘bulldozer justice’”.
The letter was released two days before the winners of the ‘JCB Prize for Literature’ had been introduced on November 23.
In an open letter signed by celebrated poet and critic Ok Satchidanandan, poet and writer Asad Zaidi, poet Jacinta Kerketta, poet and novelist Meena Kandasamy, and poet and activist Cynthia Stephen, the writers stated JCB (India) is an entirely owned subsidiary of the British building tools producer JC Bamford Excavators Restricted (JCB), which has been some of the influential donors to the British Conservative celebration.
“The employment of JCB equipment within far-right Hindu supremacist projects in India comes as no surprise in this context,” the open letter learn.
JCB bulldozers are additionally chargeable for dwelling demolitions and settlement enlargement within the Occupied Palestinian Territory, resulting from a contract between JCB’s agent and the Israeli Ministry of Defence, thus enjoying a “key role in Israel’s continued attempts at ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, and demolitions in Kashmir”.
The JCB has created a literature prize “aimed at marginalised and diverse writers”, whereas concurrently “remaining complicit in destroying the lives and livelihoods of so many as a form of ‘punishment’,” it stated.
“As writers, we will not stand for such disingenuous claims of support for the literary community. This prize cannot wash off the blood on JCB’s hands. India’s up-and-coming writers deserve better,” they stated.
A number of writers from Palestine and West Asia, together with Palestinian novelist Isabella Hammad and poet Rafeef Ziadah, Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif, Iraqi poet and novelist Sinan Antoon and Omar Robert Hamilton, novelist and Director of the Palestinian Competition of Literature are additionally among the many signatories.
Irish novelist and screenwriter Ronan Bennett, novelist Andrew O’Hagan and novelist and screenwriter Nikesh Shukla are additionally among the many signatories.
“How ironic that the term JCB is more popular in India as the machine that has aided the demolition of literally hundreds of thousands of houses of the common citizens of India in certain states of India. To see it associated with a very ‘prestigious’ literary prize for Indian literature is surreal.
“Heavy earthmoving equipment is like a knife. It can be used to build infrastructure for human comfort, but in recent years has been more used to destroy the lives of the poor and marginalised. We condemn such hypocrisy on the part of the company and those administering the prize,” stated poet Cynthia Stephen.
Author and journalist Zia Us Salam stated, “JCB has become a symbol of state-sponsored hate and intimidation of minorities and marginalised groups in Modi’s India. It is trying to gain legitimacy with the literature prize.”
“This has nothing to do with promotion of free speech, diversity and pluralism. As writers it’s critical that we speak up against this flagrant violation of human rights,” he stated.
