
Codava National Council (CNC) general secretary N.U. Nachappa announced at the CNC National Day celebrations here on Saturday that the council would set up a “Kodava authority” to ensure all-round development of Kodava people.
This was one of the six resolutions passed at the celebrations held at the Gandhi Maidan.
The authority would be a self-governing body and take steps required for managing rural development, educational institutions, healthcare and sanitation, on the lines of Palestine Authority, Parsi Panchayat and the like.
Another resolution said that the CNC would insist that the Union Government take steps to rename the State as the “State of Kodava and Karnataka”, on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir and others. The CNC would reiterate its demands for carving out Kodava autonomous homeland for the Kodavas in the district by bringing together all the erstwhile 45 ‘nads’ [a ‘nad’ is a cluster of villages], one of the resolutions said.
Other resolutions were, all Kodavas should either prefix or suffix ‘Kodava’ with their names, converse in Kodava language only and cooperate to continue the ‘ain mane’ (ancestral homes) meetings, covering all ‘ain mane’ of the Kodavas, to garner support for the CNC causes.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Nachappa said the struggle of the CNC was not for Statehood to Kodagu, but for autonomous homeland status for the Kodava people. Kodavas were a national ethnic minority and their rights ought to be protected by the majority people in the State. If the State Government did not respond positively to the demands of the CNC, the issue would be taken to the United Nations, he said.
He called upon Kodavas to become aware of their rights. People could oppose Statehood, but not autonomous region status to the Kodavas, Mr. Nachappa asserted. Kodavas were a national minority and it was the Constitutional obligation of the State to protect the minority community, he said.
He took a dig at a recent movement in Kodagu that opposed the CNC.
President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Krishnamani, who was the chief guest, supporting the CNC movement, pointed out that seeking autonomous status well within the limits of the Constitution, without affecting the national unity and integrity, was perfectly justified. He would try his best to mobilise political support for the CNC cause, Mr. Krishnamani assured Mr. Nachappa.
The culture of Kodavas was distinct and unique. The Kodavas had every right to protect it under the provisions of the Constitution, Mr. Krishnamani said. He called upon the Kodava people to display unity to achieve the autonomy goal.
A grand procession, in which traditionally dressed Kodava men and women took part, was taken out from the maidan to the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle and back to maidan.
Kodava flag was hoisted on the occasion and ‘bale kettuvo’ (lopping of banana stems) and ‘meedhi’ (offerings to ancestors) were performed.
Kaliyanda Prakash welcomed. Other speakers included Ramesh Muddaiah and K.B. Muthappa.
– The Hindu
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