with photos / exclusive Nanded: Waghdari, a village with 300 residents in Kinwat taluka of Nanded district in Maharashtra, has no presence on the country's revenue map even after 77 years of independence. "Tell us where we belong," is the villagers' refrain. They live deep in the teak forests of the Satmala range along the Telangana border and claim Telangana abandoned them and Maharashtra never accepted them.
Until the last election, they would trek for over two hours, braving the elements and animal attacks, to cast their votes in Jaldhara, the nearest village. But on Nov 20, they will vote for the first time in a polling booth in their village, with renewed hope for recognition and long-pending land rights from govt. Kavali Meghana, sub-divisional officer, for Kinwat taluka which falls under Kinwat assembly constituency, said that the Election Commission of India approved a polling station in Waghdari considering the challenging hilly terrain and dense forest surrounding it.
"Waghdari has 190 eligible voters and they now have a polling station in their village," she added. But village resident Datta Bhawale is angry speaking about their hardships. "For four generations, we have called this place our home, but we have nothing to show for it from govt.
Our gram panchayat is 35km away, and we walk 10km to vote in any election. The nearest tarred road is three hours away by walk." The villagers said they don't have land ownership papers and no drinking water pipeline.
One said.