Codava National Council (CNC) has decided to hold a Satyagraha on Nov.1 on Parliament Street in New Delhi to highlight the demand for Codava Quest for autonomy, said CNC President N.U. Nachappa.
Addressing a press meet here yesterday, Nachappa said that volunteers, hailing from different parts of Kodagu, clad in traditional costume, will participate in the Satyagraha.
The CNC demands include implementation of four Constitutional subjects — quest for Geo-Political Autonomy and Self-Determination rights, inclusion of Kodava tribe in the Schedule list under Article 340 and 342 appended to the Constitution, Kodava mother tongue Kodava Thakk should be incorporated in the 8th Schedule of our Constitution and Kodava tribe and their cultural heritage should be included in the intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO.
“It is a known fact that CNC has been appealing continuously to both State and Central Governments to consider the demands since 29 years. These demands are symbols of Kodava identity.” Nachappa said.
After Kodagu ‘C State’ was merged into Karnataka under State Reorganisation Act 1956, the State Government and its agents exploited and looted all the wealth, resources including perennial water source, land, language, cultural heritage, folkloric identity, natural wealth, flora and fauna, rich Kodava martial tribal human resources, well being of natives and all other things possible without any hesitation. “The only way to save our homeland is gaining autonomy and protection by Constitution,” he said.
“The Constitution Review Commission of India (CRC) was constituted in 2000 by the then NDA Government and CNC’s repeated petitions and series of memorandums and our peaceful movement have been considered by CRC and in 2002, CRC recommended for the creation of Coorg Autonomous Development Council under Article 371 of our Constitution which finds place in the chapter of Centre-State relationship in our Constitution,” he said.
“We take this opportunity to remind a fact that the first NDA Government has taken initiative to grant greater autonomy to already existing 10 autonomous regions of North-East and a Constitutional amendment Bill for 6th Schedule and Article 280 is drafted under the aegis of Union Cabinet in February 2019. And the same is expected to be presented before the Parliament in the 17th Lok Sabha Session. We request the NDA Government to help us statutorily ratifying Kodava tribalism by incorporating it in the Schedule list of our Constitution,” he added.
