On the commemoration of the genocide of the Kodava people by Tipu Sultan, tributes were paid to the martyrs at Devatparambu by Codava National Council (CNC).
'Bott Kutva' and 'Naivedya’ was offered to the souls, by the CNC members.
CNC president N U Nachappa said that Devatparambu, the place where the Kodava people were killed, should be declared as a national memorial.
CNC leaders Kaliyanda Prakash, Lt Col B M Parvathi, Pattamada Kusha, Mandapanda Suraj, Mandapanda Manoj, Chiyabera Satish, Sullimada Sutan, Alamanda Jai, Bollarapanda Machaiah, Karavanda Sarasu, Areyada Girish, Katumaniyanda Umesh and Kaliyanda Subbaiah were present.
'Award tribal status'
Codava National Commission has submitted a memorandum, urging National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to place the demand before the government, to award tribal status to the Kodavas.
The CNC also urged the commission to collect the data on the origin of the Kodava community, in order to safeguard the interests of the Kodava people.
A study in this regard which was initiated earlier was not carried out properly. The study should be conducted again, they said.
Nachappa expressed his concern about the diminishing population of the Kodava community.
There is a need to protect the community, he said.
“Kodava people are eligible for the tribal status, as per the recommendations by Lokur Committee report. Kodavas have their own language, food, culture, civilisation, mode of worship and folklore. They are also dwelling amidst forests and hilly regions," he said.
The delegation was led by the CNC, comprised of High Court advocate Lakkavalli Manjunath, Kaliyanda Prakash, Lt Col B M Parvathi, Alamanda Jai and others.
NCST member and former MP Anant Naik, commission secretary Tawang Singh and officials were present.