‘It is very sad that a meeting of this kind had to be organized here today. I would like to ask, why is it necessary for the Chinese people here to prove their loyalty? I would like to point at this boy, Hong, and ask just one question. If he is not an Indian, then who is? We have many Chinese children in our school. I cannot see any difference between them and the other children.’

Ananta was looking at Ahlin secretly. He did not hear what the speakers were saying. His heart was filled with an eerie sadness. What had that girl, sitting with her head down, done wrong? What should he do now?

His friend and other student leaders had started mocking him about his relationship with a Chinese girl with a mixture of relentless hatred and disrespect. The district leaders had cautioned him to not get involved with Ahlin.

At the behest of the president of the meeting, Ananta came to stand near him. On behalf of the entire Chinese community, Ho Chang Ho placed a thousand rupees in Ananta’s hands. C Hoi’s mother placed a bundle of pullovers knitted by the women of Cheenapatti.

It was evening when the meeting finally ended. The meeting at the Makum playground was also over. Workers of all political parties took out a procession. People carried placards and the air was full of slogans.

‘Down with Russian duplicity. Down. Down. Down. Down.’

‘Enemy’s friend is enemy.’

‘To hell with the Indian Communist.’

‘Expel Defence Minister Krishna Menon.’

The procession halted in front of the Chinese school. The people of the procession looked at the Chinese who were crossing the road.

Whose people were they? Those who studied in the Assamese-medium school and spoke fluent Assamese?

Could there be any fifth columns like the CPI hidden among them? Could there be any Chinese spies? Traitors? Who could tell?

‘We have to keep an eye on these people,’ someone said. ‘Have you heard? The police have arrested a Chinese in Jorhat who spoke six languages. There was a Nepalese man with him. They came from Kalimpong. He must be a spy.’

‘What nonsense are you talking? Do you think only a Chinese spy can speak six languages? Listen, even our Chinese folks in Makum can speak four to five languages. Nepalese, Hindi, Bengali, Chinese, English, not to mention Assamese. Some can even speak six languages. This is a cosmopolitan society. You hardly ever come across a pure Chinese here.’

‘Still, you can never tell.’

‘If they are Indian, why do they establish Chinese schools?’

‘Why do the Bengalis and the Hindi-speaking people open their own schools here? Every community wants to preserve their own language. They do it because the government allows it.’

‘Chow En Lai murdabad!’

‘Down with fifth columns, down, down!’

‘Don’t shout these slogans! Please don’t,’ a leader of the PSP yelled as he quickly walked past the procession.

The procession gradually went quiet.