Kids Corner

1984

All Indian Justice Committee

A One-Act Play by GRACE KAUR

 

 

ALL INDIAN JUSTICE COMMITTEE (VOLUME 3), by Grace Kaur. CreatSpace, 2011. English, Paperback, pp 100,  $ 16.95. ISBN-10: 1461145724; ISBN-13: 978-1461145721.

 

This is a parody on the Indian justice system which blatantly denies justice to the nation's minorities and its so-called "low" Hindu castes.

In this hilarious one-act play, Grace Kaur mocks the system that mocked the victims of the 1984 Sikh genocide.

Two characters, Singh and Kaur, present their individual cases to the 'All Indian Justice Committee', though the committee seems more concerned with tea and biscuits than recording testimony against the accused Congressman.

A parody made possible by - “Sajjan & Tytler Pest Control Inc”.

A reviewer describes it thus: "All Sikh characters face a jury of politicians to demand justice for the 1984 Sikh genocide. What they get instead will make you laugh and cry at the same time! I especially like that she made characters out of Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. Why not! It's a parody!"

Charityware

Professional or amateur companies may produce the All Indian Justice Committee without permission from the author or the publishing company on the condition that a minimum of twenty-percent of profit is donated to a charity set up to help victims of either the 1984 Sikh genocide or India’s Hindu caste system.

 

EXTRACT

On a projection screen.  'All Indian Justice Committee made possible by "Sajjan & Tytler Pest Control Inc." '

Three children in weathered kurtas and grimy faces and dark swollen eyes stand silently, holding pictures and passports of their missing parents. Two other children stand with protest signs: "We want justice, not reports!" or "Justice delayed is justice denied!" or "When injustice becomes law, dissent becomes duty!"

Three congressmen (2 & 3 & 4) sit at a table on the stage.  Each congressman has a pen and notepad directly in front of them. Evertime a witness gives testimony they rush to take notes, looking very focused and important.

A court RECORD KEEPER sits in front of a silent typewriter keeping diligent record of the proceedings.

As the audience walks in, the orphans stare at each person blankly.

HIGH JUDGE enters and stands on the opposite side of the orphans, standing before the audience, staring directly at them, but always addressing the All Indian Justice Committee in a powerful, important, projected voice.

In the shadows, the police stand ominously, witnessing the proceedings, ready to protect the congressmen at any cost.

HIGH JUDGE: "We will now address case 19 and case 84."

Enter Singh and Kaur  ...

 

 

[The book is now available at Amazon.com - CLICK HERE]

August 5, 2011

Conversation about this article

1: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), August 05, 2011, 9:27 AM.

A major step in the developing of our perspective on 1984. What the Indian government has done about it over the past 27 years is surely no laughing matter but needs to be dealt with as it is - as theater of the absurd. Even the most side-splitting humor should have a serious purpose defining it and the most serious life and death matters need to be leavened with the sharp scalpel of humor. And this play does it. I notice the title of this effort speaks of "volume 3"; I missed what does this refer to.

2: I. J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), August 05, 2011, 9:52 AM.

While I was writing my earlier comment, I got distracted and missed recommending a point that I feel needs to be made. It's Summer now; it's the time for vacations, camps, travel and fun activities. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could encourage the staging of this play at gurdwaras, camps, Summer stock theater, community programs and even at Off-Off Broadway kind of locations? It would keep the matter of 1984 in the public arena and would enliven theater activity which, at this time, is a minuscule part of our Sikh cultural life.

3: Harinder (Uttar Pradesh, India), August 05, 2011, 1:26 PM.

1984 is but one chapter of Sikh history, albeit a crucial one. By grappling with it headlong like this, it will enable it to not cast its gloomy shadow and bitterness on our bright future, as destiny beckons us forward.

4: Pali Singh (New Delhi, India), August 05, 2011, 5:11 PM.

It's so heartening to see more and more books being published on 1984. We need our poets, essayists, novelists, short-story writers, playwrights, all to fathom the inner-most recesses of those dark days, and lay them bare.

Comment on "All Indian Justice Committee "









To help us distinguish between comments submitted by individuals and those automatically entered by software robots, please complete the following.

Please note: your email address will not be shown on the site, this is for contact and follow-up purposes only. All information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Sikhchic reserves the right to edit or remove content at any time.