‘Carry Out Long Pending Ethnographic Study of Codava Race’- Kodava National Council
Mangaluru: Opposing the recent announcement by Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary of the government’s proposed ethnographic study of Kodavas, the Kodava National Council said the proposed study will be of non-Kodavas, who have descended from the Malabar region, and not of indigenous Kodava race, which is necessary and is pending since last eight months.
Talking to reporters during a press meet Kodava Council’s Chairman N.U. Naachappa Codava said the Minister announced the conclave of non-Codava Malabari descent people in Buttangala on the outskirts of Virajpet on 19 February 2023. “Those who have descended from other regions to Kodagu and imbibed our culture and practices cannot be descendants of the indigenous Kodava Race. Kodavas have genetically imbibed the culture and have their own folk and legal systems, which needs to be protected and preserved,” said Naachappa.
Following a delay by the government in taking up an ethnographic study of the dwindling and vulnerable Kodava Race to facilitate its inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list, the Council approached the High Court of Karnataka. The High Court wide its order in WP 7003/2021 dated July 20, 2021, directed the government to carry out a comprehensive ethnographic study. “This file has been pending with the office of the Chief Minister for the last eight months. Despite knowledge of this fact, the government has announced the study of non-Kodavas and thus, derailing the actual study of Codava Race,” added Naachappa
Naachappa blamed Virajpet MLA K.G. Bopaiah for this and accused the latter of portraying non-Kodavas as those from Codava Race. “If the State Government does not order a comprehensive ethnographic study of the Kodava Race as per the order of the High Court, we will be forced to approach the High Court once again,” Naachappa said.
