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India: Unrest continues as farmer caste demands boost

by Our Foreign Desk

UNREST continued in India’s Gujarat state yesterday after police and paramilitary forces tried to quell riots by members of a farming caste.

Authorities imposed a curfew on Tuesday night in at least five cities in Gujarat state, after crowds attacked police with stones and sticks and burned vehicles.

Mobile communications were blocked in the state’s main city of Ahmadabad to stop both rumours from spreading and gangs from co-ordinating their movements.

No casualties have been reported as the leader of the Patidars, also known as the Patel community for the last name they share, called a general strike yesterday.

There were isolated clashes between protesters and police in several other cities in Gujarat, including the diamond cutting and polishing hub of Surat.

TV stations reported that police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds in some parts of the state.

Patidars are demanding the special status given to some other castes and minorities in India, guaranteeing them a share of civil service jobs and school places.

India’s constitution stipulates such “reservations” for India’s lowest Dalit caste to help them overcome centuries of discrimination.

That policy has been expanded over the years to include several other relatively disadvantaged low caste groups.

The Patidar caste makes up about 20 per cent of Gujarat’s 63 million people and say their livelihoods based on seasonal farming and small industry have become increasingly difficult amid India’s agricultural depression and rapid economic growth marked by high inflation.

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