Codava National Council Stages Sathyagraha in New Delhi Demanding Geo-Political Autonomy for Codavaland
- Kodagu Express Bureau
- Nov 3
- 2 min read
New Delhi: The Codava National Council (CNC), led by its chairman N.U. Nachappa Codava, staged a peaceful Sathyagraha at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday, marking the States Reorganisation Day. The protest, described as a “peaceful Codava Sathyagraha”, sought recognition of the Codava community’s long-standing demand for geo-political autonomy for Codavaland under Article 244 read with the 6th and 8th Schedules of the Indian Constitution.
Following the Sathyagraha, the CNC submitted a detailed memorandum to the President, Prime Minister, and Union Home Minister, urging the Centre to either constitute a dedicated commission as proposed by Dr. Subramanian Swamy in his writ petition (WP No. 7769/2023) before the Karnataka High Court or establish a Second States Reorganisation Commission to address Codava aspirations.
Nachappa Codava stated that the Codava community has been demanding constitutional safeguards to protect its cultural, linguistic, and territorial identity since the merger of the erstwhile Coorg State into Karnataka in 1956. “The State has failed to uphold the promises of the States Reorganisation Act. Codavas have been reduced to second-class citizens in their own land,” the memorandum stated, alleging demographic changes, exploitation of natural resources, and neglect of local interests.
The CNC’s Charter of Demands included ten major points, such as granting Codavaland internal political self-determination rights, recognising the Codava community as an indigenous ethnic group under international law, inclusion of Codava Thakk in the 8th Schedule, and protection of Codava customary religious “sacrament gun” rights under Articles 25 and 26. The council also urged UNESCO to include Codava folklore in its Intangible Cultural Heritage list and called for Cauvery River to be declared a living entity with legal personhood.
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The memorandum was also sent to the Union Law Minister, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, the Karnataka Chief Minister, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, and the United Nations offices in New York and Geneva.
Participants in the Sathyagraha included several members of the Codava community, including Mrs. Nandetira Kavitha Subbaiah, Mrs. Anjaparavanda Kaushi Nikhil, and Mr. Jammada Mohan, among others. The CNC reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing constitutional and peaceful means to achieve its goals, underscoring that the movement represents the Codava community’s legitimate struggle for justice, identity, and self-governance.
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