It's pattas before state for these villagers

While Maharashtra and Telangana squabble over ownership, the locals seem to be more interested in land rights

- S RAJA REDDY @ Adilabad

AFTER 45 years of being a political football kicked between Telangana and Maharashtra, the residents of 14 villages caught in the border dispute have come to a strikingly simple conclusion: they do not care which state claims them as long as they get land pattas.

The decades-old tug-of-war over villages such as Paramdoli, Mukadamguda and Bholapathar may have a long legal and political history, but locals now seem more interested in securing land rights than preserving state pride. The recent announcement by the Maharashtra government that pattas will soon be issued for 2,300 hectares has breathed new life into villagers' long-dormant hopes. However, a hint of weary scepticism remains.