In India, days of protests related to the caste system have left 19 people dead and temporarily cut off water to up to 10 million people in Delhi. The protesters are members of the Jat caste group, a relatively affluent community who want officials to classify them as a “backward” group. That classification would let them gain access to government jobs and other benefits typically afforded to marginalized communities as part of a system somewhat like affirmative action. Now, the government in Haryana state has reportedly agreed to introduce a bill to grant the Jat group “backward” status in order to appease the protesters, who have set fire to shops and railway stations, blocked roads and damaged a key canal.
India: Caste-Related Protests Leave 19 Dead, Cut Off Water in Delhi
HeadlineFeb 23, 2016
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