On October 31st, 1984 the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards. This event was a culmination of years of political conflict in the north Indian state of Punjab. Eventually Mrs. Gandhi would order troops into the holiest of temple of Sikhs, Darbar Sahib in the city of Amritsar to flush out armed dissidents. Of all the days she chose a day in June on the calendar when thousands of Sikh pilgrims were visiting to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjan. The collateral loss of innocent life was a message in itself. Sikhs around the world were stunned by this well coordinated attack.

The immense loss of life in the waning months of her life would not be the last of her legacy. Immediately after her death preparations began for one of the most organized state massacres of late 20th century. I was fortunate enough along with my family to survive this wave of brutality.

In the immediate hours after the assassination of the Prime Minister, funeral preparations began not for one body but many more whose number would be determined by the whims of revenge seekers.

There was only one television in those days controlled by the government. As the nation mourned the television screen broadcast images of countless people streaming past the body of the slain leader with non-stop shouts in the background. “Khoon ka badla khoon se ledge”; “With blood we shall avenge blood”. The entire nation soaked in this message from the television screen in the presence of political leadership, influential citizens and Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan.

The calls for blood did materialize into a very Indian version of an Orwellian curry. The powers to be with all the big brother machinery were preparing for a roast of a very unique kind.