DEMAND FOR CODAVALAND AUTONOMY GAINS MOMENTUM AT SIDDAPUR HUMAN CHAIN RALLY

SIDDAPUR: Tensions surrounding ethnic identity and land rights in Kodagu flared anew as the Codava National Council (CNC) organized its fourth peaceful human chain demonstration in Siddapur, reiterating its long-standing demand for a self-governed Codavaland. Addressing a gathering of community members, CNC President N.U. Nachappa Codava declared geopolitical autonomy under the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as the primary safeguard to protect the micro-ethnic community from cultural assimilation and demographic pressures.

Speaking at the event, Nachappa asserted that the traditional homeland of the Codavas, encompassing ancestral Jamma-Bane land holdings, forests, and river systems, remains the hereditary property of the indigenous population. He called for urgent constitutional measures to preserve their distinct ethno-linguistic and animistic identity.

The CNC chief framed the movement not as a plea for special favors, but as an inalienable right rooted in constitutional provisions and international conventions on indigenous rights. He highlighted how Articles 29 and 30 guarantee the protection of distinct language and heritage, while Article 14 supports reasonable classification based on unique ethno-linguistic identities, as previously upheld by the Karnataka High Court.

Furthermore, Nachappa pointed to the spirit of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, which historically shielded traditional land tenure systems like Muttadari, Jamma, and Bane under Non-Regulation Province protections. He also likened the Codava spiritual tradition of holding firearms, known as Gun-Thok, to the sacramental status granted to the Sikh Kirpan under Articles 25 and 26.

Proposing an administrative framework modeled after the Darjeeling Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the Hill Tract Agencies of Andhra Pradesh, the CNC urged central authorities to grant self-governance under Article 371 and the Fifth Schedule. Nachappa emphasized that while statehood requires a broader regional plebiscite, autonomy for a distinct micro-community relies on proving unique lineage and historical indigenous character before constitutional bodies.

Addressing opposition from majority groups, Nachappa maintained that intimidatory tactics and demographic weight cannot suppress constitutional rights. He urged the community to preserve its vibrant cultural ethos while seeking a secure space within India’s diverse federal structure.

To safeguard their heritage, the CNC outlined immediate administrative goals, including the recognition and explicit enumeration of Codavas as a distinct ethnic and animistic faith community in the upcoming 2027 National Census. They also called for the protection of ancestral meeting grounds known as Mandh and the statutory preservation of customary land holdings across the Kodagu region.