CNC conducts human chain in Srimangala

Madikeri: The Codava National Council (CNC) held its 17th human chain in Srimangala, Kodagu district, championing the indigenous Codava community’s survival through constitutional recognition. CNC Chairman N U Nachappa Codava declared that perpetual land rights and “Tok-Gun” sacraments depend on census documentation of Codavas as a mono-ethnic Animistic group.

Emphasising constitutional trust, CNC loyalty, and personal resilience for the micro-community, Nachappa sought 6th Schedule autonomy for Codavaland, ST listing, and Sikkim-like “Sangha” representation. One of the demands of the human chain is that the 2026–27 census must feature a dedicated code/column for caste data to enable delimitation reforms and “Tok-Gun” continuity under Articles 25–26.

Codavas, free of religious/caste affiliations or sub-divisions, honour Cauvery, forests, sun/moon, and ancestral sites, with distinctive weddings (no Sapthapadi/Mangalsutra; maternal Pathak) and ritual liquor/pork offerings. Historical 1871–1931 censuses affirmed their non-caste status, lost thereafter to majoritarian assimilation. Nachappa highlighted expert dialogues for census advocacy. He condemned Rohingya settlement schemes to boost vote banks, falsely promising extra seats, and land clearances dismissed as labor needs. Advocating seasonal guest worker permits with mandatory returns per 2015 Dhaka pact precedents, Nachappa warned of local displacement.