(IN): Snake charmers to vote in Gujarat polls

November 22, 2007

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*Snake charmers to vote in Gujarat polls*

NDTV Correspondent

Thursday, November 22, 2007 (Gujarat)

With the Gujarat elections approaching, there is one group of people who

can't wait to cast their vote.

For the first time in history, people belonging to criminal tribes, people

who were shunned by society till now, the snake charmers, are going to vote

in Gujarat polls.

They used to be snake charmers but after strict wildlife rules, they had to

resort to small time tricks but now these tribes are witnessing a different

kind of magic, the magic of democracy.

They are among the 7.5 lakh nomads that are being included in the electoral

process after social organisations took up their cause. The Election

commission and the social welfare department are making it possible but it

is not an easy task.

''Near by villagers are fighting with us and they don't want us to get the

election ID card,'' said a local villager.

People in Chotila in Surendrea Nagar want to vote because they need water,

schools and housing.

With no fixed homes, these tribes never got voter IDs or ration cards and

received no benefits from the state. But now, a piece of paper has given

them an identity and much more.

Apart from voting rights, they are also getting houses but it is not these

things but the intangibles that matter to them, the sense of belonging and

the feeling that they are now true citizens.

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