Seeking a special status for the unique Kodava race which is dwindling in numbers and is a linguistic minority, the Codava National Council (CNC) will be taking out a special rally to the Parliament House of New Delhi on Nov. 1.

CNC President N.U. Nachappa, addressing a press conference at Patrakartra Bhavan here this noon, after submitting a memorandum to Regional Commissioner M.V. Jayanthi and Additional Regional Commissioner Chandregowda, said that more than 5,000 Kodava men and women will participate in the massive rally which will travel to Delhi in a special train.

The CNC will be demanding for Autonomous Codava Land, by considering the ancient traditional 45 naads which exclusively are inhabited by the Kodava race and which exhibit all the qualities of Kodava racial existence from time immemorial. “The same should be declared to be an indivisible and ineffaceable Kodava home land under the 6th Schedule of our Constitution and Kodava race should be recognised as an Ethno linguistic tribal minority nationality, under Articles 340 and 342 of the Constitution,” urged Nachappa.

“The Centre must ensure the protection of minority Kodava race living elsewhere beyond Kodava land spread throughout the world and uphold their individual fundamental rights and extend all such acts towards such an end,” said Nachappa and added, “We are pressurising the Union Govt. to treat Kodava subject on par with that of Telangana and Hyderabad Karnataka Region, because Kodagu (Coorg) was a separate ‘C’ type State governed by a provincial State Govt., as until 1956 when it became merged with Greater Karnataka.

“Even though the CNC has been pressing for the demands since the past 22 years, the Union Govt has given us step-motherly treatment. We feel that it is time that the Union Govt. take up the matter at once and move the Bill concerning the establishment of Codava Land Autonomous region under the 6th schedule of the Constitution, which would ensure the physical protection, geo-political aspiration of Kodava race, their political freedom and financial security,” opined Nachappa.

“Should the result of holding such a rally at Delhi be naught, a Kodava delegation would go to the UNO in 2014,” he said.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore