‘The home minister said that the government will do something against those Chinese whom the government does not want.’

‘Aiyah! They said that?’

‘What did he mean by “do something”? Chase them away?’

‘He didn’t say they will be chased or thrown out. He said “special steps” would be taken.’

‘If they throw us out, where shall we go?’

‘What else is written? Keep reading, ako.’

‘Indrajit Gupta wanted to know how many of those who have been given notice were Chinese citizens, how many stateless, and how many Indian citizens. The home minister said he couldn’t give details. But they were all put in the same category. Any measure which the government would take against one would be taken against all.’

‘Aiyah! That means they are all the same – those who came long ago, those who have just come, the ones with PRC passports, Kuomintang passports, Indian citizens with papers and without papers?’

‘An Indian and a Chinese citizen are the same? That is unfair. How can this be?’

‘Look, they have written about our Chinese school here!’

Excited and worried, heads hovered over the newspaper trying to locate the specific section.

‘What is there to see? Read it out to us,’ Ho Wang said.

Yiu Yi’s father resumed, ‘In answer to a question by P. C. Baruah, regarding the presence of a Chinese Buddhist school, Shashtri said that a close watch was being kept on the school …’

‘They have put the CID after our school too!’

‘Aiiiyaah!’

The people were speechless. Before anyone could comment, they heard a noise. They looked at each other, and then went out to see what had happened.

The non-Chinese customers were already waiting outside. Chitta, Rameswar and Johori Khan were also there. All the customers looked at the sad and worried faces of the Chinese people. These were familiar faces they saw every day.

‘A procession is coming,’ someone said with a dreary smile. Vibrating the air with slogans, a long procession of students was coming forward led by Ananta and other student leaders.

‘Communists murdabad! Murdabad! Murdabad!’

‘Down with fifth columns! Down down down down!’

‘Death to China government!’

‘Chow Mao murdabad, murdabad!’

‘Nehru zindabad, zindabad!’

The Chinese looked puzzled, sad and uncertain at first.

Then panic overpowered them. A student procession, furious because of the continuous defeat of the Indian army at the hands of the Chinese, could turn into a mob at the slightest pretext.

‘Come inside, all of you come inside!’ Mok Min called out to the Chinese fearfully and went in.

‘Why are you scared? Don’t be,’ said Johori Khan.

‘We are with you. No one can do anything,’ Chitta assured them.

‘Don’t be scared – you’ve done nothing wrong.’

The people stood still. They looked at each other, feeling unsure.

‘No, but we are still frightened,’ Ho Wang said and went inside hurriedly. Others followed suit.