Seeks establishment of Kodava Language Authority

Madikeri: Congress MLC B.K. Hariprasad has urged the Government to grant Tribal Status to Kodava community  and  also form Kodava Language Authority.

He was speaking at the 30th Annual Codava National Day coinciding with Indian Constitution Day celebrations organised by Codava National Council (CNC) at a private hotel on the outskirts of Madikeri on Thursday.

Pointing out that though the population of Kodavas was a little over 2 lakh, there are over 10,000  Government servants and Army officers from the community, he opined that the community very much deserved to get all rights under the Indian Constitution.

Warning the Government against ignoring the community because of its low population, he said that without the Constitution, no one from the economically backward communities, including himself, could have entered the Parliament.

Asserting that a committed and continuous fight is needed for saving Kodava culture, language and customs, Hariprasad called for apolitical support for CNC President N.U. Nachappa’s fight for Codava land.

BJP MLC and former Minister A.H. Vishwanath, in his address, said that the whole-hearted support of everyone was needed for achieving success in the struggle for getting due rights.

Calling for holding a meeting of researchers who have carried out the ethnographic study of the Kodava tribe, thanks to CNC’s relentless effort through Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute (KSTRI), Mysuru, the MLC noted that  the discipline, lifestyle, customs and practices of Kodavas cannot be seen in any other community and as such, the Kodava community need to be accorded Tribal Status.

MLC Veena Achaiah said that she had raised her voice for rights of the Kodavas in the Legislative Council several times in the past. Asserting that she will raise the issue once again in the Council during next month’s winter session, Veena said that she will speak with more vigour this time as her fellow MLCs Vishwanath and Hariprasad have expressed their support for the Kodava cause.

Bengaluru Kodava Samaja President M.T. Nanaiah, who is a senior High Court advocate, said that taking part in the struggle is the best way of expressing support for Codava land.

CNC Convenor Nachappa contended that Kodava customs, practices and traditions, land, language and culture can only be safeguarded by the Indian Constitution. Stating that Kodavas must Constitutionally get geo-political autonomy, gun rights and land rights, he asserted that the struggle will continue till the goal is achieved. Resolutions were adopted and passed in the presence of distinguished guests in this regard.

During the last Parliamentary session in Dec. 2019, while debating on the ST Constitution Amendment Bill, MPs B.K. Hariprasad  and Kupendra Reddy spoke about the inclusion of Kodava tribe in the ST list, he said adding that this issue had attracted the attention of the whole country and conscience of law-makers. 

As a result of CNC’s relentless effort and innumerable petitions to the Union Government, the Centre directed the State Government to conduct an ethnographic study on Kodava tribalism. Hence, Karnataka Government entrusted this responsibility to KSTRI, Mysuru, he said.

Earlier, Nachappa set off the Codava National Day programme by firing in the air. Members of Valleydew Arts Team performed Kolaat, Kattiyaat and Bolkaat on the occasion.