Rajasthan BJP leaders object to ‘Mughal Tent’ at JLF; producer stands by name

Sanjoy K Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, which produces more than 25 acclaimed arts and literary festivals including JLF in 40 cities, said the BJP leader was entitled to his opinion. (Express photo by Chitral Khambhati)

The MLA from Chomu in Jaipur continued, “By doing so, what mentality are they trying to promote? Organisers should at least have considered the historical culture of this land… So they should introspect.”

Leader of the Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, also from the BJP, said the move had hurt the sentiments of a lot of Indians. According to a video tweeted by TV9 Rajasthan news channel, Kataria said, “[The Jaipur] Literature Festival has been going on in the state for many years. People interested in literature and history from around the country and the world share their opinions on the platform. And we have always respected that … But by naming one of the tents ‘Mughal,’ they have hurt the sentiments of a lot of people in the country.”

Sanjoy K Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, which produces more than 25 acclaimed arts and literary festivals including JLF in 40 cities, said the BJP leader was entitled to his opinion. “But in the same way as he has the right to his opinions, we have the right to what we call each of our venues. Those who say ‘why did you name it after Mughals’ forget that ‘Mughal’ represents a completely different world, and ‘Hollywood Mughal’ represents a particular kind of lifestyle,” he told The Indian Express.

Roy said the history of Rajasthan was connected with different rulers. “Two great kings of Rajasthan, Sawai Man Singh and Jai Singh, pretty much were part of the Mughal Empire. So I am not sure what his objection is about,” Roy said. “He is entitled to his objection and we are entitled to call our venue whatever we want. He doesn’t necessarily have to come, and he can of course create his own festival and do what he wants to do.”

Explaining the thought behind the naming of the festival’s various venues, he said, “When we started at Diggi, it’s not about the Mughals… It is about the design and the architecture of the place. All these venues have a literary and an architectural background.”

Held at Hotel Clarks Amer since 2022, the festival described as the “greatest literary show on Earth” is witnessing its 16th edition this year. The programmes are organised simultaneously at five venues—Front Lawn, Charbagh, Durbar Hall, Baithak and Mughal Tent— over five days.