Union Home Minister Amit Shah has attributed the violence in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills to alleged infiltration, asserting that “infiltrators” marry Garo women to gain control of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). At an election rally in Assam, Shah claimed these outsiders exploit marriage as a means to assert political influence over tribal institutions, framing the unrest as a demographic struggle. The recent fatal incidents in Garo Hills were exacerbated by non-tribal candidates’ participation in the GHADC elections, leading to significant clashes, arson, and vandalism during the nomination period. This turmoil resulted in at least two fatalities, including one due to police firing, prompting the state government to impose curfews, suspend mobile internet services, and deploy the Army for flag marches. Consequently, the GHADC elections originally scheduled for April 10, 2026, have been postponed.