Over 100 writers slam JCB literature prize's 'hypocrisy' ; 'act of immorality', says Meena Kandaswamy

Over a hundred writers, translators and publishers have written an open letter accusing the 'JCB Prize for Literature' of hypocrisy, slamming the British bulldozer manufacturer company that funds the prize for playing a "major role in the horrifying destruction of homes" across India and Palestine.

They said the BJP government has consistently used JCB bulldozers in a "systemic campaign" to demolish Muslim homes, shops and places of worship across various Indian states -- "an ongoing project disturbingly named 'bulldozer justice'".

The letter has been released two days before the winners of the 'JCB Prize for Literature' are to be announced on November 23.

In an open letter signed by celebrated poet and critic K Satchidanandan, poet and publisher Asad Zaidi, poet Jacinta Kerketta, poet and novelist Meena Kandasamy, and poet and activist Cynthia Stephen, the writers said JCB (India) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the British construction equipment manufacturer JC Bamford Excavators Limited (JCB), which has been one of the most influential donors to the British Conservative party.

"The employment of JCB equipment within far-right Hindu supremacist projects in India comes as no surprise in this context," the open letter read.

Meena Kandaswamy, who called corporate cultural sponsorship more often than not "lipstick on a pig", said, "Literature is not some snazzy accessory... It is not a tote bag to conveniently hide away systemic violence. Neither is it a "performative circus" , in which "ethical credibility" is being purchased through sponsoring prizes.

According to Kandaswamy, corporations like JCB are performing an "act of profound immorality", when they fund literary prizes while "simultaneously operating machinery that demolishes homes in Kashmir, bulldozes communities in Palestine, or enables state violence against Muslims in India". Further, she added that sponsoring a literary prize will not take away the fact that JCB has now come to stand for the image of a 'ubiquitious yellow bulldozer' that perpetuates displacement and violence.

Literature worth its name cannot be bought, it will always stand unequivocally with those whose lives are systematically dismantled, whose homes are destroyed, and whose histories are erased, pointed out Kandaswamy.

Also read: 2024 JCB Prize for literature longlist split evenly between English novels and translations

Demolitions in Palestine

The open letter further said that JCB bulldozers are also responsible for home demolitions and settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, due to a contract between JCB's agent and the Israeli ministry of defence, thus playing 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", while simultaneously "remaining complicit in destroying the lives and livelihoods of so many as a form of 'punishment'," it said.

"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 said.

Several writers from Palestine and West Asia, including 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 Festival of Literature are also among the signatories.

Irish novelist and screenwriter Ronan Bennett, novelist Andrew O'Hagan and novelist and screenwriter Nikesh Shukla are also among the signatories.

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Ironic

"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," said poet Cynthia Stephen.

"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," she said.

Writer and journalist Zia Us Salam said, "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 said.

(With inputs from agencies)