CNC PLANS PROTEST;

Madikeri October 2, 2007

The Codava national Council has organized a protest against addressing kodavas as Kodagas and Kodagru.

Addressing a press conference, secretary general of CN, N.U.Nachappa stated that the government is creating controversy by addressing Kodavas as Kodagas in English and Kodagaru in kannada. It is an insult to the community, he said.

Meanwhile he said that the government cannot take away the concession given to Jamma Holders in Kodagu to own guns. He gave examples of Goorkas and Sikhs who has kukri and sword as part of their culture and said that Guns are a part of Kodava culture.

Nachappa said that a protest will be organized tomorrow to demand clarification from the government.

Besides, the CNC will also boycott Kannada Rajyotsava on first of November and a Dehali Chalo protest will also be held in Delhi on the same day.

ELECTION OF PRESIDENT, VICEPRESIDENT SOON;

The deputy Commissioner Niranjan told this correspondebt that election for the post of CMC at Madikeri and Town panchayaths at Somwarpet, Virajpet and Kushalnagar will be held soon.

A notification will be published within a week by the government and reservations and schedules will be published within fifteen days. The election will be over within thirteen days, he said.

Niranjan disclosed that the Kannada and Culture department will release rupees fifteen lakhs to hold Dasara festival at Madikeri. A grand nine day festival would be conducted colorfully, he said.

The deputy commissioner, who is also the chairman of the dasara committee, said that he will hand over the post to the new CMC president, if the election was held earlier to dasara. He also said that all the newly elected members will be taken to the dasara Committee.

Answering a query, he said that Dasara festival at Madikeri would be held in a grand manner. The Kannada and Culture department is releasing rupees fifteen lakhs for the purpose, he said. However the district administration has sought rupees one crore from the government for dasara.

DC Niranjan also said that the government has sanctioned rupees 1.5 crores to build a cultural hall at school ground. The existing town hall would be demolished and a new one would be rebuilt at a cost of rupees one crore, according to him.