Kodavas demonstrate in Capital demanding their rights

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) While Karnataka is busy with Suvarna Karnataka year, activists of Codava National Council (CNC), dressed in their traditional attire, today staged a daylong demonstration at Jantar Mantar to highlight the neglect of their tribe and demand recognition as an ethno-lingual primitive tribe making them eligible for reservation in education and employment like other recognised tribes of the country.

Staging their protest under the leadership of CNC Secretary General N U Nachappa, CNC activists sought creation of Codava Autonomous Region like the Goorkha Hill Council in Darjeeling and they should be given right for political self-determination within the Constitution.

The Kodavas, considered as a martial tribe by the British, have presented memoranda to President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, alleging that the Karnataka government has failed to protect the interests of Kodava minorities after their Kodagu state merged into Karnataka. It was 'shameful' that the government was seeking to snatch away the rights of Kodavas to hold Jamma lands and Jamma Malais, forcing the holders to surrender their rights. ''The concept of Vishala Karnataka was incomplete without recognising the law and culture of Kodavas in proper sense,'' they said, lamenting that those who provided Cauvery water to rest of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry were deprived of using it themself.

Kodavas, who have produced several accomplished warriors including first Indian Indian Army Chief Field Marshal K M Cariappa, were now forced to accept the jobs of constables and sepoys.

They said any celebration of Suvarna Karnataka will be meaningless if the genuine Kodava demands are not conceded. "Until such time Kodavas will agitate", the memorandum said.

Meanwhile senior Karnataka leader and former Assembly Speakder D B Chandre Gowda conceded that some of the Kodava demands were genuine and Karnataka did make an honest attempt to address their concern. Since it was not possible for a Kodava to get elected to Lok Sabha, the Congress party had nominated Mrs Prema Cariappa to Rajya Sabha. The only way to overcome the political arithmetics would be to reserve the seat to reserve seat for Kodavas by the Delimitation Commission, since they harbour a feeling that no Kodava was elected to the Lok Sabha after former Railway Minister C M Poonacha, he said.

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