Forgetting all their worries for the moment, the others joined in the laughter. The news they had heard in the club was disturbing but they had not seen any change in their surroundings. Everything seemed as usual. There had been no untoward incidents anywhere.

Makum was a peaceful town managed by a police outpost of eight constables without firearms and a sub-inspector. Here, one did not feel like an outsider, but as if they had been here for ages. The bones of their ancestors were buried in this soil.

The headmaster of the Chinese school came towards the group.

‘Don’t discuss this issue here. We could get into trouble.’

Asking everyone to take their places in the temporary shed, the headmaster returned to his seat. He was deeply worried about the hostel boarders. He wished he could send them home during the puja vacation. But now it had become uncertain whether their guardians would be able to come pick them up or not.

As one local leader of the Communist Party of India walked in, the headmaster went forward to welcome him. The guest said happily, ‘Today’s arrangements seem to be grander than other years.’

The headmaster smiled as the students ushered the guest to his seat. The other dignitaries exchanged greetings with the CPI leader and resumed talking politics.

A Praja Socialist Party leader looked at the CPI leader and said, ‘We were discussing the border issue. The way the situation is deteriorating, it seems a war is inevitable.’

‘How can you say that?’ the CPI leader asked.

‘The tune in both the camps is changing. China has said that the situation has reached the most critical point. There is every chance of war in the Chedong area because India has become increasingly aggressive. On the other hand, the Indian government has said that India has been using arms only for self-defence so far. Now the commanders have been ordered to expel the Chinese encroachers.’

‘India has done the right thing. If China encroaches on Indian territory, should India sit idle? China should be taught a lesson. After occupying Tibet, China has become supercilious,’ said a leader of the Indian National Congress.

The CPI leader’s face turned serious. He said gravely, ‘With other neighbouring countries the Indian borders have been properly demarcated. But the border between India and China is not that clear. It is difficult to say clearly which area is on which side. The McMahon Line is controversial. That’s why it is not correct to say outright that China has encroached upon Indian soil.’

Just as the discussion was heating up, the member of the legislative assembly of the state representing the constituency arrived on the scene.

After he was welcomed by the headmasters of both the schools and the objectives of the meeting were announced, Ananta Baruah took over the microphone.