Three dead as protests against Muslim land law turn violent in eastern India

By Subrata Nag Choudhary

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - Protesters angered by a new law on land use they say discriminates against Muslims set fire to police vehicles in Kolkata, capital of India's West Bengal State, on Monday after a weekend of violence claimed three lives, authorities said.

The unrest began in the Murshidabad district, where Muslim protesters set fire to shopping malls, attacked a Hindu home and stabbed two people on Saturday, police said, forcing authorities to suspend internet services in the area.

On Monday, protesters in the Bhangar area of Kolkata clashed with police after officers stopped a protest rally. A major highway was blocked by protesters during the disturbances.

The protesters were angry about a new law passed by the Indian parliament this month, which makes sweeping changes in the management of vast tracts of land set aside solely for Muslim use, potentially stoking tensions between the government and minority Muslims.

Muslim groups and political parties say the law, like many of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies, aims to alienate and discriminate against Muslims. Modi and officials in his party deny the allegations, and have said the law is a "pro-Muslim reform".

Modi's party has accused the Trinamool Congress, its bitter rival which rules West Bengal, of appeasing Muslims in order to win votes. The Trinamool Congress denies this and says Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party is polarising people on religious lines.

(Reporting Subrata Nag Choudhary, writing by by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, editing by Giles Elgood)