Minaram Baruah’s mind was not at peace. Earlier, he used to like his son’s Chinese friends. Now he felt disgusted by the very sight of them. Perhaps they were responsible for bringing his son closer to the Chinese girl. There was no one as gentle and responsible as his son. But what spell had this Chinese girl cast upon him? How could he say bluntly to his father’s face, ‘If you don’t let me marry her, I’ll elope with her. I’ll leave my home and take her to the quarters in the garden.’ He had tried his best to dissuade his son. Had his wife not sided with Pulok, the marriage would never have taken place. This was the first time after their marriage that his wife had openly defied him, actively getting involved in the entire arrangement of the wedding.

There was no way out now.

‘What is the matter? Aren’t you going to listen to the news?’ his wife asked.

He came to the living room. Minaram Baruah stopped for a moment, then took the radio to the room adjacent to Pulok’s and increased the volume.

‘Just look at what deuta is doing. He is doing this to annoy you,’ Pulok’s sister said as she walked into Pulok’s room to serve him tea.

‘Don’t say anything. Just let him be.’

‘Since I’ve arrived, all I’ve seen him do is read the newspaper, listen to the news and abuse the Chinese. Since you are out most of the time, you don’t know what goes on in the house. Who knows what he might do to your wife! You better not give up your quarters. You might not be able to live here once you’re married,’ Pulok’s sister joked.

Pulok’s father was listening to the radio with a frown on his face.

‘No talks under duress …’

‘China must first pull out of NEFA …’

‘India has firmly told China that there can be no talks or discussions on the border question, until the latest Chinese intrusion into Indian territory in NEFA is terminated. India has also made it clear that the coming talks will have to be confined to measures for reducing tensions and restoring the status quo in the western sector of the India-China border, which has been altered by force in the last few years. India’s position on the talks with China has been set out in a three-page note handed to the Chinese embassy yesterday and released for publication this evening …’

Pulok’s room turned silent as his father had expected.

‘Lt General L. P. Sen has already arrived in the NEFA region. Lt General Umrao Singh has already inspected the forward position and spent a night there …’