More than 10 million people in Delhi, India, the national capital territory, were without water Monday after a protest over jobs seized the city’s main water source.
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The members of the Jat community, listed as upper caste, have been protesting demanding job quotas in government structures and educational institutions like the members of socially and educationally disadvantaged castes.
“The security forces were asked to use force to clear all the places where the protesters were squatting affecting communication network and water supply”, a Union Government official said in Delhi.
“No water available now”.
The city government ordered schools to shut on Monday and rationed provision to residents to ensure that hospitals and emergency services have enough.
As soon as the chief minister reached Rohtak, his official vehicle was gheraoed by angry people who raised slogans like “Haryana police murdabad” over the state police’s alleged failure in controlling the violent situation.
Earlier, uncertainty prevailed over the fate of the ongoing Jat agitation for reservation as the protesters continued blockades and protests at various places.
“There were a few clashes in parts of Bhiwani district overnight, where a curfew is still on, but the curfew has been lifted in other districts”.
The fresh violence came day after India’s ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) promised to bring a bill in the Haryana lawmaking body to include Jats in the category of Other Backward Classes or OBCs in the state.
“The head of Delhi’s water board, Keshav Chandra said”.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that engineers were repairing portions of a reservoir damaged by protesters.
There’s “agreement over our remaining demand for financial compensation to the families of those who lost their lives (during the protests)”, Jat leader Yashpal Malik said Monday.
Experts say the trend is being driven by increasing numbers of Indians who fear being left behind in the rapidly modernizing economy and who see government quotas as the only tangible way they can gain influence to help better themselves economically.
One of India’s largest carmakers, Maruti Suzuki, suspended operations at its two Haryana plants after the protests disrupted supplies of components.
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The violence led to 19 deaths, including three people killed in firing by security forces on rioters blocking the NH-1 in Sonipat district on Monday.
