Include Kodavas in ST list of Constitution: CNC

Delegation meets Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das One-man Commission

Madikeri: Members of Codava National Council (CNC) led by its President Nandineravanda U. Nachappa recently met Scheduled Caste Welfare Department and Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission in Bengaluru urging him to include Kodava tribe in the ST list of the Constitution.

The meeting took place at Yavanika, the One-man Commission’s office on Nrupathunga Road in Bengaluru. Nachappa presented a memorandum explaining the need for the inclusion of Kodavas in the ST list of the Constitution and apprised him about the tribal ancestry and indigenous tribal traits.

Justice Nagamohan Das was told about the need and necessity of statutory protection to preserve the Kodava culture, language, folkloric identity, their age-old hereditary piece of untitled lands, besides their historical continuity.

Also the Commission’s attention was drawn regarding ‘sabotaging’ the genealogical studies being carried out to include Kodavas in the list of ST communities. The studies are being carried out by KSTRI (Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute), Mysuru.

“The ongoing ethnography study of Kodava tribalism is in a diabolic ‘Etic’ approach. We have requested the Commission to direct the KSTRI Mysuru to apply ‘Emic’ approach. We further urged that on the basis of the parameters laid down by Justice Lokur Committee Report, the ethnographic study should be carried out. In this regard the title of the schedule should be “Kulashashtra Adhyayana” or “Ethnographic” study but KSTRI has titled it ‘Kodagu Jilleyallina Kodava Samudayada Arthika-Saamaajika Adhyayana’ (a socio-economic study of Kodavas),” Nachappa said.

There is a clear cut order issued by the Government to conduct an exclusive Ethnographic study. KSTRI has carried out a major portion of socio-economic study and created fake economic status. “The KSTRI neither collected authentic documents nor produced proper income and expenditure sources but collected only verbal statements, marginalising the real ethnographic issue,” Nachappa claimed.

“The KSTRI created a fake exaggerated version with prejudiced mindset which is not acceptable to us. We want the real ethnographic study to explore and establish true tribal ethnicity,” Nachappa told Justice Nagamohan Das. 

Almanda Jai, Pattamada Kusha, Pattamada Ashok and others were present.