NEW DELHI – A series of churches and numerous houses were set ablaze amidst violent clashes between tribal and non-tribal communities in the Indian state of Manipur. In Imphal, the state’s capital, violent protests and attacks on each other’s properties continue, as reported by Indian media.
In response to the violence, which has led to the deaths of six individuals, authorities have deployed hundreds of military personnel and suspended internet services. Curfews have been imposed in the eight most severely affected districts, and there have been reports of people being burned.
The conflict began when tribal groups protested the Meitei ethnic community’s demands to be included under the government’s “Scheduled Tribe” category. As a form of affirmative action to address structural inequality and discrimination, members of such tribes receive reserved quotas for government jobs and college admissions under Indian law.
