Demand for Codava Autonomous Region in south-west Karnataka

Demanding "full-fledged autonomy" for their region, a delegation of Codava National Council from south-west Karnataka today met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and submitted a memorandum.

The delegation headed by Council president NU Nachappa Codava pressed Gandhi for introduction of a bill on Codava Land Autonomous Region in south-west Karnataka in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

Steps should be initiated to set up Codava Land Autonomous Region in South West Karnataka on par with the Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam and Darjeeling Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the delegation said.

"Please take pains to consider the question of the establishment of Codava Land Autonomous Region the way it has been done in relation to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and please implement in the same breath along with Gorkha Land," they said in the memorandum submitted after staging a demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

The Codava National Council also demanded ethnolinguistic tribal minority status for Codavas.

"Owing to marginalisation due to its isolation and minimal population, the hill community people have become restive, but have been agitating in a peaceful manner despite the specific exemption of this race to possess fire arms," Nachappa Codava said.