As soon as the door was opened to a knock, a group of stone-faced men entered the house. They stood with their shoes on in front of the altar and enquired harshly, ‘How many people live here? Call them all.’

Everyone came out and gathered in the room.

Hearing the magistrate’s order, Tung Chin’s mother asked, ‘Are we in danger, sir? I am an Assamese; my name is Pramila Gogoi.’

The magistrate looked at her for some time and said, ‘How many Indians in your family?’

‘All the members of our family are Indians. We have Indian citizenship, sir.’

‘No, I mean how many in your family are local people?’

‘Our youngest daughter-in-law here is Assamese. Her name is Xonpahi Bora. This is my eldest daughter-in-law, Madhabi. Her mother is from the tea garden community. My husband’s great grandfather had first come here. They had all married local girls. We have been settled here for generations, sir.’

The magistrate wrote down the names and addresses of the parents of the daughters-in-law. Then he looked up and asked, ‘Where is your youngest son, Tung Chin?’

‘He has not yet returned. He works in the garden under the contractor Ho Yen Kee.’

The magistrate sat silently. He looked both confused and sorrowful.

The policemen noted his discomfiture and looked on curiously. After dithering for a while, he said, ‘We have orders to take only the Chinese persons amongst you. Ho Min Fu, his three sons, Wenling, and Wenling’s five children will go. The rest will stay back. Our people will come to take Tung Chin later.’

Pramila looked at the officer in disbelief.

‘What are you talking about? What kind of justice is this? If my husband is Chinese, I am Chinese, too. If I am Assamese, so are my children. If my son is Chinese, how can his children not be Chinese? If you take one, you will have to take us all.’

‘We won’t go. What do you think of us? We are Indian citizens, just as you are. We haven’t attacked India. We are not India’s enemies,’ Wenlin flared up.

The rest of the family was standing in uncertainty. The faces of the police turned rigid.

The enemies were talking big, standing on Indian soil! Chinese spies were showing their temper! The police personnel felt an unbearable urge to shut the enemy’s mouth. But the magistrate remained calm.

‘Don’t be angry,’ the magistrate said. ‘We have to follow orders. Please get ready quickly. We can’t give you much time. Only those whose names I’ve read out will move. Don’t take anything with you. You have no permission to do so.’

‘On what grounds have you divided us? What kind of government rules are these? If China has attacked, fight with China. Why are you taking out your vengence on us for your defeat?’ Wenling burst out in anger.