Mysuru:  “The consistent stand of the Codava National Council (CNC) since the last 28 years has been the demand for ‘Codava land autonomy’ and to declare Kodava community as a tribe and accord it Tribal status. It has never been its demand for a religious Minority status,” said CNC President N.U. Nachappa.

Addressing a press conference at the Patrakarthara Bhavan here this morning, he said, however, there are forces inimical to the Kodava cause who are trying to weaken it by demanding a religious status.

“Our demand is always for the Kodavas to be given tribal status and not for a separate religion or even caste. We are firm on the decision and we will not withdraw from this demand at any cost,” he said.

A memorandum had been submitted to the Centre through Kodagu Deputy Commissioner recently in this regard. “There is a conspiracy among a few people including a few Kodavas themselves to derail this movement. The Kodavas come under the Hindus and to keep asking whether we are Hindus are not is redundant,” he said.

There is a consistent attempt in a few media circles and especially on Feb. 21 and 22 that the CNC had made a demand for separate religious status. “Especially on the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a photograph and videograph of mine was published that after the Lingayats demand for religious minority tag, now it is the turn of Kodavas,” he said.

In spite of clarifying many times that this was not the stand of the CNC but the demand for Codava land autonomy and tribal status, efforts are on to besmirch the reputation of the CNC by such false claims, he said.

He charged that the Leftists, many betrayers among Kodavas and anti-national Maoists are responsible for such false propaganda.