Madikeri: Codava National Council (CNC) observed 29th Kodava National Day at Gandhi Maidan in Madikeri yesterday. A procession was taken out from Gandhi Maidan which passed through Town Hall, Chowki and returned to Gandhi Maidan. 

The Kodava National Day was observed under the leadership of CNC President N.U. Nachappa. The procession had Dudikottu Paat and Kolaata. Participants were dressed in traditional attire. Men and women danced to the traditional Kodava Valaga all along the way. The rally was inaugurated by Nachappa after he fired gunshots in the air and hoisted the CNC flag. 

The main purpose of  CNC observing the annual Kodava National Day was to re-insist and rejuvenate their geopolitical aspiration for autonomy and register and ratify their solidarity with striving for the right of self-determination of Codava tribal world, said Nachappa.

Nachappa alleged that there are efforts aimed at systematic ethnic cleansing by stronger and dominant communities of the Old Mysuru region. “Through this National Day, we are demanding the right to live and right to protect our culture, customs and traditions,” Nachappa added. 

“There are concerted efforts to minimise the 1.5 lakh population of Kodavas with the use of Government powers. We are being exterminated by people in power,” he said. 

On the occasion, he urged the Central Government to provide geopolitical autonomy and right to internal political self-determination for the Codava tribal world, which was identified as ‘C’ State until 1956.

He also pointed out that autonomous Councils have been established by the Central Government in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal, as per the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The Government should set up Kodava land as per the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, he added.

Owing to the efforts of the CNC, the genealogy study of Kodavas has commenced, he said. The ethnographic survey desired by the Union Government is being conducted by the State Government through Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute, Mysuru. 

 He said that the survey was the gateway for inclusion of non-scheduled Kodava tribe into the Scheduled list of the Constitution that would help them protect, preserve and ratify their inherent land rights, traditional habitation, historical continuity, cultural heritage, economic freedom and geo-political aspirations.