Books
Exploring The Unholy Trinity of Oppression:
A Feast For Lambs
A Book Review by LINK
A FEAST FOR LAMBS is sikhchic.com's selection as its Book of the Month for the month of August 2011.
A FEAST FOR LAMBS, by Jessi Thind. Nalanda Publications, India, 2011. English, paperback, pp 390, $22.95. ISBN-10: 192 702-8051, ISBN-13: 978-192 702-8056.
BOOK REVIEW
Nalanda Magadah Publications has released a novel on the 1984 Sikh Genocide.
The book - A Feast for Lambs - is a sharply written survival novel by Jessi Thind.
With powerful prose and unforgettable characters, Thind pens an incredible story about a family trying to survive in a colony under siege. Based on true events, A Feast for Lambs, details one of the most horrendous tragic government sponsored massacres of its own citizens in history.
A Feast for Lambs captures the essence of faith, family and sacrifice.
The novel explores the Indian government’s reaction to Indira Gandhi’s assassination, comparing and contrasting it to the government’s reaction to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination by Hindu extremists, fully illustrating a government conspiracy, negligence and support of Hindu terrorists.
The novel also explores minority abuse and systemic disappearances that continue to plague India and undermine the country’s claim to being a democracy.
Thind drew from his many experiences growing up to come up with plot ideas for A Feast for Lambs. “My protagonist wants to grow up to sing on stage like Michael Jackson,” the author explained.
“I’m willing to bet this is a fantasy many of us had growing up in the 80s. I’m also willing to bet he’s every kid in 84. I’m willing to bet that if you think back to the Billie Jean era and how that song inspired the whole world, you’ll probably remember wanting one of two things: The Michael Jackson glove or the Thriller jacket. That’s what the boy wants more than anything … but we all know what the Indian government does to his hopes and dreams.”
Thind was also intrigued by the controversy surrounding the dissident Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
“To give a sense of the politics and controversies of the time, the boy has two characters in his life who he observes very carefully. His uncle and his father, both diametrically opposed on the issue of Bhindranwale.
“Myself, I’d don’t think it’s so black and white, and when you look at the destitution and poverty in Punjab today due to government land, water and agricultural policies, you see that Bhindranwale wasn’t too off the mark about their intentions. Now there are strange attacks against Bhindranwale because people in Punjab see him as a sort of Che. To my mind, the Indian government has absolutely no credibility and will do what they can to pre-empt Bhindranwale t-shirts. The Indian government won't get their act together to investigate the mass disappearances that took place in Punjab in the 80s and 90s, they won't give justice to the victims of 84, but, all of a sudden, they’re competent forensic experts spending all their time and resources to desperately come up with evidence to slander and discredit someone who stood up against their corruption and who said ‘No’ to police brutality, torture, rape and executions.
“Now the police want to blame him for everything he was actually accusing them of. It’s an old technique. When John Steinbeck first released Grapes of Wrath, the first thing the powers-that-be did was try to discredit his name by framing him for rape. It’s the best way to get the masses to turn their back against the man and his message.”
Thind also believes that Indian government sponsored massacres will continue until the international community steps in.
“It’s not just Sikhs. Christians, Muslims, tribals and so-called Hindu 'low' castes are all victims of systemic injustice and police brutality. The police are empowered through government policy, which legalizes state oppression. A set of three acts and laws I call the ‘Trinity of Oppression’ that affords the Indian police a licence to disappear without trial or evidence.”
[Jessi Thind has written four novels and several games including James Cameron’s Avatar, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell and Jay Singh’s O.G Lafunk. He lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he is currently working on an undisclosed game for a major publisher.]
July 31, 2011
Conversation about this article
1: Harnam Singh (Bhutan), July 31, 2011, 7:46 AM.
There is no valid analogy between Indira Gandhi's assassination and Mohandas Gandhi's. The first involved doling out justice to a person who thought she had put herself beyond the reach of the law and therefore felt that she was protected for her crimes against the Indian people and humanity. The second was an act of cowardice on the part of a group of Hindu terrorists, bent upon imposing their view on the country. The first was an act of Justice. The second was an act of murder at the hands of hooligans.
2: Harinder (Uttar Pradesh, India), July 31, 2011, 11:14 AM.
Sikhs themselves will have to find a way of preventing further genocide of Sikhs. Four have already taken place: The Wadda Gallughara, the Chhota Ghallughara, 1947 and 1984.
3: Raj (Canada), August 02, 2011, 12:58 PM.
The book does a great job of putting the reader in the shoes of the '84 victims. You can't help but feel for the young boy. Great book.
4: Greg Singh (Canada), August 04, 2011, 8:56 PM.
The comparison is not about the motives behind the aforementioned assassinations; it's about the government reaction to the two assassinations, illustrating government conspiracy. The government reaction to Mohandas Gandhi's assassination saved thousands of Hindu/Brahmin lives. Police were in the streets before the death was announced. There was a total media ban. Etc., etc. The government reaction (both action and inaction of criminal proportions) to Indira's assassination is the main reason so many thousand innocent Sikhs were killed. Had the government reacted with speed and efficiency for the Sikhs, like they did for the Hindus and Brahmins when a Hindu Brahmin terrorist killed Mohandas Gandhi, there would have been no genocide. Actually, the comparison is not only valid, but there is actual evidence that the government could have stopped the genocide if they wanted to, but chose not to. They had a precedent they could've followed, but made a malafide decision not to. What I find interesting is that three or four books have all come out at the same time about 1984! 1)Karma; 2) All Indian Justice Committee; 3) Night of the Widows (AMAZING!); 4) A Feast for Lambs. A great sign! We shall not forget!