Deadly caste protests begin to subside after leaving 19 dead in northern India
Schools in the Indian capital had been ordered to close on Monday after the demonstrators seized control of a canal that supplies a reported 60 per cent of the city’s tap water, before the military regained control.
Indian protesters demanding better conditions for their caste said on Monday they had accepted a state government offer aimed at ending days of riots that have killed at least 19 people, as troops won back control of a canal that supplies much of Delhi’s water.
Authorities in the northern state of Haryana which borders Delhi said they expected to restore order after apparently reaching a deal with leaders of the Jat caste, who said they were discussing whether to call off their protest.
We have accepted the government offer and are in the process of consulting other Jat leaders to arrive at a consensus
Schools in the Indian capital had been ordered to close on Monday after the demonstrators seized control of a canal that supplies a reported 60 per cent of the city’s tap water, before the military regained control. But the crisis appeared to ease after the state government on Sunday agreed the Jat community should be given quotas for highly sought-after government jobs and university places under India’s caste-based quota system.
On Monday a Jat representative said the community had accepted the government’s offer.
“We have accepted the government offer and are in the process of consulting other Jat leaders to arrive at a consensus before deciding about calling off the agitation today,” said Yashpal Malik, head of a group of Jat organisations. “We are demanding that the government should compensate the families of people who died the agitation.”
