It's pattas before State for villagers in Telangana-Maharashtra border

New Indian Express

12 hours ago

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.
'We are happy to be in whichever state gives us pattas,' said Devidas Kamble, his voice cautious over the prospects after nearly half a century of bureaucratic silence. 'If Maharashtra gives them, great. If Telangana does, also fine. But let's not delay another 45 years.'
Ramdas Ranveer, a resident of Bholapathar and a veteran of this cause since the late 1970s, recalled how the village was once declared part of Maharashtra by the Supreme Court back in 1997. That ruling, however, has not translated into tangible benefits for the people on the ground. 'I've been fighting for land pattas since 1978. We now hear they'll finally be given. I'll believe it when I see it,' he said.
For those new to this rural saga, here's a brief recap: The 14 villages, all Marathi-speaking, were part of Maharashtra as per the 1956 linguistic reorganisation. Then came the Andhra Pradesh government in 1978, waving a committee report that drew a different border. Legal battles followed, culminating in the 1997 Supreme Court ruling in Maharashtra's favour. Andhra Pradesh quietly withdrew its case, but carried on issuing ration cards, Aadhaar IDs and other benefits.