By P.T. Bopanna
The above quotation attributed to the late British prime minister Winston Churchill aptly sums up what has happened to Kodagu (Coorg) after gaining Independence.
It may sound unpatriotic, but it is fact that Kodagu was better off under the British. As a result of the long British rule since 1834, Kodagu had a stable government and well-oiled administrative machinery.
During a debate in the Indian Parliament in March, 1949, deputy prime minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, had even gone to the extent of saying that there was “Ram Rajya”in Coorg. Mr Patel stated: “Now, the only place in India where you may say there is Ram Rajya is Coorg; where there is no compliant, nothing; there is no theft; there is no robbery.”
The good times continued for a few years after Independence. After India attained Independence, Coorg became a Part ‘C’ State. The Part ‘C’ States Act, 1951, provided for a new Coorg Legislative Assembly with 24 members. The Coorg government started functioning from March, 1952.
But the worst tragedy since the times of Tipu Sultan who had massacred Kodavas (Coorgs) occurred when a couple of self-serving politicians succeeded in merging Kodagu with the erstwhile Mysore State (now Karnataka) during the linguistic reorganization of the states in 1956. More on that issue is in my book ‘Rise and Fall of the Coorg State’. (Check out Kindle edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LFF1LJS
On what followed the merger of the Coorg State with Karnataka has been well summed up by journalist C.M. Ramachandra in his foreword to the book ‘Rise and Fall of the Coorg State’.
Ramachandra wrote: “All that has happened and is happening to Kodagu is nothing short of a brazen vandalism, abetted by dehumanized administrations which glibly lay claims to inclusive culture, but do quite the opposite. This is what makes me sad beyond words. This is what betrayal means in its eloquent form.”
November 1, 1956, will go down as a Black Day in the history of Coorg, now officially known as Kodagu, the tiny hill district in the state of Karnataka. The Coorg State was snuffed out of the Indian map on that day due to political machinations.
The once bountiful Coorg State has been reduced to the status of a colony by the rulers of Karnataka since its merger. With Kodagu, represented by just two MLAs, successive governments in Karnataka have neglected the development of the district.
The fact that the elected representatives from Kodagu have sold their souls to the timber lobby has not helped matters. It is no secret that these elected representatives have patronized the sand mafia and other illegal activities in Kodagu, including liquor vends.
The timber merchants, mostly hailing from the neighbouring Kerala State, did not spare even the Devara Kadus (sacred forests), the forest buffer maintained by Coorg clans for centuries.
Two Congress ministers from Kodagu have been instrumental in large-scale looting of timber from the core area of the Western Ghats. These ministers have been known to be close to the Delhi durbar of the party.
Though Kodagu is the main catchment area of the river Cauvery, the life-line of people living in southern India, the rulers sitting in Vidhana Soudha, the secretariat of the Karnataka government in Bangalore, have actively backed the timber lobby in denuding the forest wealth in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.
Prior to its merger with Karnataka, corruption was unheard of in Kodagu. Now, it has taken deep roots. The local people of Kodagu, known for their honesty and straightforwardness, have been forced to indulge in corrupt practices to get their work done in government offices.
The land mafia from Bangalore has bought huge tracts of land in Kodagu to indulge in speculative land deals. The entry of underworld figures into Kodagu has affected the tranquility of the district.
While elected representatives from Kodagu have looted the forest wealth, chief minister Siddaramaiah of the Congress party, has turned Kodagu into a communal laboratory by observing the birth centenary of the tyrant Tipu Sultan.
While the Congress has divided the people in Kodagu on communal lines, the BJP has converted the peace-loving Kodavas as the foot-soldiers of the Hindutva brigade. The Kodavas are being used as a cannon fodder by the Hindutva brigade to achieve their hidden agenda. The late Dr M.M. Chengappa, who was instrumental in building the BJP in Kodagu, did not get his due in the party.
The neglect of Kodagu district by successive state governments after its merger with Karnataka in 1956, has led to the demand for separate statehood or autonomy for the hill district.
After having witnessed the phenomenal development of the area when Coorg was a Part ‘C’ State during 1952-56, there has been a growing perception among the original inhabitants that Kodagu would continue to remain a backward area as long as the district remained part of Karnataka.
Dr Sandeep Shastri, a social activist, is of the view: “Given the contemporary reality and the nature of politics and political processes in India, what best can the Kodagu region and its people hope for? It may be a bit far-fetched to demand the status of a separate state at this point of time. There are larger regions with stronger claims for a separate state that the Indian Union finds difficult to concede. It is clearly apparent that the Central government will not re-open the states reorganisation question but will take up individual demands from time to time.
In this context and keeping in mind the best interests of the Kodagu region and its people, it may be more worthwhile for a limited autonomy being sought. The creation of an Autonomous Kodagu Council within the State of Karnataka may be a more viable option.