Codava National Council seeks protection for actor Rashmika after MLA targets her

Bengaluru: The Codava National Council (CNC) has appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Karnataka counterpart G Parameshwara to protect multilingual film actress Rashmika Mandanna after ruling Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Gowda (Ganiga) and Kannada activist T A Narayana Gowda criticised her for identifying herself as “being from Hyderabad rather than Karnataka.”

In a letter to Shah and Parameshwara, CNC president N U Nachappa alleged that Rashmika is being “bullied and intimidated by a legislator,” which the Kodavas consider an act of “hooliganism”.

Nachappa said Rashmika, who belongs to the Indigenous Codava tribal race from Codavaland, has achieved immense success in the Indian film industry through her hard work and talent. She has collaborated with prominent actors such as Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan.

“The CNC emphasises that Rashmika’s freedom to make her own choices should be respected and that she should not be coerced into complying with the whims of the legislature. The council also highlights that the legislator’s actions reflect Codava phobia, as they are targeting Rashmika solely because of her community,” the CNC president said.

“In light of this, the CNC is demanding that the government ensure Rashmika’s safety and treat her with the respect she deserves, protecting her rights and upholding justice,” he added.

Nachappa stated, “It is ironic that the people of Mandya, who heavily rely on the Cauvery River, have an MLA who is bullying Rashmika Mandanna, the beloved daughter of Mother Cauvery and a renowned actress from the region.”

The MLA’s actions are particularly egregious, given that they took an oath to uphold the Constitution and protect the people, not to harass them, Nachappa added.

The “bullying” of Rashmika Mandanna is not just a personal attack but also an affront to the dignity of the people of Codavaland and the Cauvery region. It is essential to stand against such behaviour and support those who are being bullied or harassed, he said.

Mandya MLA Ganiga recently stated that Rashmika Mandanna hails from Kodagu district in Karnataka and “should be taught a lesson for identifying herself as someone from Hyderabad.”

“Rashmika Mandanna began her career in Karnataka with her debut in the Kannada film ‘Kirik Party’ (2016). The last time she was invited to a film festival, she said that she resides in Hyderabad,” Ganiga told reporters.

The MLA alleged that the actress claimed she did not know where Karnataka was and refused to attend the film festival, citing a lack of time. “One of our MLAs visited her home and invited her multiple times, but she spoke rudely about Kannada despite growing up in Kannada land. Shouldn’t she be taught a lesson?” Ganiga claimed.