CNC demands high-level probe into Diddalli protest

Codava National Council (CNC) members on Thursday staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here, demanding a high-level probe into the recent tribal struggle at Diddalli.

Addressing the protesters, CNC chairman N U Nachappa said that the recent struggle was aimed at creating a red corridor at the behest of Islami State (IS) and Maoists. The investigation should be handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) and also Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Nachappa said that Kodava tribals should be granted with constitutional status to prevent the sects from coming under maoists influence. He further said that those involved in similar activities, forcing innocents to lead the movement at Raichur, Chikkamagaluru, Sringeri, Koppa and Kundapur, had also attempted at creating a red corridor in Kodagu.

Journalist cum activist Gauri Lankesh, former MLC A K Subbaiah, tribal activists Sirimane Nagaraj and Noor Sridhar and Nalini, actor Chetan who had extended his support to tribals struggle have been misleading government in this regard, he added.

Nachappa said that such was the modus operandi that people in the border areas were depicted as tribals to claim the reserved forest land in the name of tribals, that earlier had no trace of human habitation. Apart from local organisations, timber lobby and granite mafia have joined hands with them, he said.

Nachappa also said that of the total 577 families at Diddalli, 80 are without sites, while the remaining families have been allotted sites in different parts of the district.