Karnataka - Madikeri   

Be aware of your rights, Kodava people told

Feeling Neglected:Codava National Council members taking out a procession in Gonicoppa town in Kodagu on Sunday

Madikeri: Secretary-general of the Codava National Council (CNC) N.U. Nachappa called upon the Kodava people to be aware of their rights as a linguistic minority and resist all attempts to alienate them from their land.

Mr. Nachappa was addressing the “Kodavaland demand rally” held on Cauvery college grounds in Gonicoppa in Virajpet taluk on Sunday.

CNC members, led by Mr. Nachappa, took out a procession from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yard to the college grounds in the morning.

Successive State governments had continued to ignore the Kodavas because the community had not bothered to know its rights, he alleged.

The State Government had failed to provide funds for basic facilities such as roads, drinking water and electricity in areas inhabited by Kodavas, he alleged.

Demands

The CNC would continue its peaceful struggle to seek an autonomous Kodava homeland, on the lines of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, Mr. Nachappa said. He said the CNC had backed down from its original demand of statehood to autonomy because statehood would not serve the purpose of the Kodavas.

Ethno-linguistic tribal status to the Kodavas to secure reservations, inclusion of Kodava language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution, establishment of a Central university for the Kodavas to propagate “Kodavalogy”, and unhindered right to possess arms without licence were other demands of the CNC.

Deplored

Mr. Nachappa deplored the efforts of Kodava leaders to portray the CNC movement in bad light and said: “Certain Kodavas themselves have become enemies of the community.”

He added that some had demanded that he be booked for his provocative speeches, but no one could cow him down, he said.

Save identity

The movement was not trying to “steal” the rights and privileges accorded to other communities but sought the same for Kodavas, he said.

The CNC struggle was to ensure the welfare of the Kodava community and strengthen its roots. He cautioned the Kodava youth against inter-caste marriages and selling their land to “outsiders”.

They must save their unique identity, he said.

Lauded

Maj. Gen. B.A. Cariappa (Retd.), who was a guest, lauded the CNC for fighting for the rights and privileges of the Kodava people.

All members of the Kodava community should support the CNC movement, he added.

Jammada Mohan, Madrira Karumbaiah, Chendrimada G. Muthappa, Chiriyapanda Raja Nanjappa, Kodandera Uthare, Badumanda Ganapathi, Kaliyanda Prakash, Pandanda Naresh, Maneyapanda Kiran, were present.

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