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Brilio.net/en - What is happening in India? The second most populated country in the world is currently facing some very violent demonstration: at least sixteen dead and over two hundred people injured over the last weeks.
In order to understand the current tense situation, it is important to remind of a few facts.
First of all, the conflict in the North of India, between the Kashmir region, claiming its independency and the Indian Government (based in New Delhi) is dividing the country for over sixty years. Some Indian people are in favour of Kashmir, even though publically admit it could have dangerous consequences. The Government is strict and sentences any kind of pro-Kashmir speech.
Second, the social organisation of the country is based on a caste system. To change of a caste is almost impossible and if one is born in one of the lowest caste, he most likely wont be able to climb his way up to a better situation. Some professions are for example forbidden for the people belonging to the lowest castes, which creates social injustices. Indian people (and especially the young generation) are becoming more and more aware about it and it sometimes causes troubles such as the recent demonstration.
In this context, big tensions have started in the Haryana state. Mainly rural with a population of twenty-five million of inhabitants, it is located at the east of New Delhi. The Jats are a caste that represents a quarter of the population of the state. Mainly farmers, they are one of the poorest community, facing important drought for two years in a raw, paralyzing the agricultural production.
Today, the Jats claim to have a quotas of jobs in public services and quotas to study in some universities in the country, which so far they were not allowed to. In March 2014, the Indian government had decided to allocate quotas to the Jats but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court, increasing even more the anger of the community.
The disruptive event that led the students of more than twenty universities in India to demonstrate those past weeks was the arrest of the leader of a student syndicate, accused of sedition. Since then, the Government had to deal with many student demonstrations that have turned out badly and the crisis had consequences in New Delhi. The water supply of the city has been shot down by the demonstrators. For their part, the Jats have blocked many of the main roads between New Delhi and the Haryana state, creating other supply issues.
On Monday 22d February, the Indian Government finally agreed to cede to the Jats claim and thus put an end to the demonstration and for now, the situation seems to remain quiet.
(brl/tis)
