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INDIA-POLITICS-MINORITIES-UNREST
Indian state tense after two killed in protests against outsiders
GUWAHATI, India, Feb 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – India sent 1,000 paramilitary
reinforcements to a tense northeastern state and bolstered other security
measures Monday after two people were killed by police firing in a protest
against moves to give residency rights to outsiders, officials said.
Authorities also cut mobile internet services and blocked SMS messages in
the Arunachal Pradesh state capital Itanagar and other badly hit regions amid
fears of new unrest.
Violence broke out Friday during protests by groups opposed to a reported
plan to give permanent resident certificates to some tribes who have been
established in the state for decades.
The protests spread and government properties and vehicles around Itanagar
were attacked.
One crowd threw stones and ransacked the residence of the state deputy
chief minister late Sunday and were marching on the chief minister Pema
Khandu’s residence when police opened fire, killing two people.
Khandu sought Monday to ease the anger, saying the government was not
moving forward with the proposal that would make six tribal groups eligible
for quotas of jobs and college places reserved for locals.
“We will not take up the issue of issuing permanent resident cards to non-
Arunachal Pradesh scheduled tribes,” Khandu, who is from Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told journalists.
India’s remote northeastern region is home to many indigenous tribes and
communities as well as lingering insurgencies.
Groups are fighting for more autonomy, additional social protections or
just to undermine rival tribes.
Northeastern states saw widespread opposition to a controversial law that
would give Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians and other minorities who
had faced persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The legislation was passed by the lower house of parliament in January but
was withdrawn by the government after angry protests.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1940HRS