Readers may recall that the issue of the 21 villages (with a population of over 25,000) has been unresolved for a long time. Besides complaining that they will lose the privileges they enjoy as gram panchayats, the villagers feel that the KDMC has failed in provision of even water, roads and sanitation in spite of collecting taxes from them since 1983 when the KDMC was formed.

Blaming the earlier Congress rule in the State for the neglect of the region he said, ``the fight here seems to be more for development than identity or existence''. He promised to find a solution acceptable to all in a week's time.

Meanwhile, the treatment they gave the labour minister, Shabir Sheikh, who spokeearlier was peppered with vulgar expletives. When he mentioned that he would support only ``the keeping out of a few villages from the KDMC in cases where it was found appropriate''. A visibly shaken Sheikh was so disturbed that he wound up his speech soon afterward. ``I hope the CM has a happy announcement to make to all of us on our Independence Day on January 26 (sic),'' he said before beating a hasty retreat.