Tulu Nadu state movement

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Tulu Nadu in yellow with respect to rest of Karnataka (green) and Kerala (purple)
Map Showing distribution of Dravidian languages in 1913

Tulu Nadu State movement (തുളുനാട് രാജ്യ സമിതി) is aimed at increasing

Chandragiri river in Kerala.[1] The Chandragiri River has traditionally been considered a boundary between Tulu Nadu and Kerala from the fourth century AD onwards.[2][3] The first call for a separate Tulu Nadu state was made just after the Quit India Movement in 1942 by Srinivas Updhyaya Paniyadi, a banker and a press owner from Udupi.[4] Mangalore is the largest and the chief city of Tulu Nadu. Tulu activists have been demanding a separate Tulu Nadu state since the late 2000s, considering language and culture as the basis for their demand.[1][5][6][7][8]

Several major powers ruled Tulu Nadu, including the Kadambas, Alupas, Vijayanagara dynasty, and the Keladi Nayakas.

Distinct identity

Tulu Nadu is shown with other aspirant states of India.

According to the 1961 Census of India statistics,

with Tulu being the lingua franca in Mangalore and major parts of Udupi district.

Hinduism is followed by many of the population, with

Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins (Konkani) also form significant sections of the Hindu population.[16][17]

Christians form a sizeable section of

Reasons

As a result of the

the Kerala Government showed similar attitudes towards the northern parts of Kasargod district.[1]

The Tulu Rajya Horata Samiti, active in the Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Kasaragod districts, advocates self-rule as the only solution for the region's much-awaited developmental works. The Samithi rejected the initiative of the Karnataka State Government to change the name of Mangalore to Mangaluru. It insisted that if it is changed, it should be changed as Kudla. Other demands are renaming Mangalore International Airport as "Koti Chennaya International Airport". Samiti aims to create awareness among the Tulu-speaking people about the "inevitability of a separate state and enthusing them to fight for the cause."[6]

In the early 21st century, the Tulu Nadu movement gained momentum in the region with support from notable Mangalorean Kannada poet

Kayyara Kinyanna Rai and former Member of Parliament Ramanna Rai. In an interview, Kinyanna Rai said, "political boundaries might not mean anything to people who were fighting for the survival of a language and its culture. Karnataka and Kerala governments spoke about "Tier-II cities" and the "Smart City" concept, but investment was not forthcoming." In another interview, Ramanna Rai said that "the work on the Mangalore–Bangalore railway line was completed after 35 years of its launch." He also said that "he would not accept the laying of a meter gauge line between the two cities and converting it into broad gauge as a development project particularly when there was no rail link for nine years."[1]

In 2008, the former president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Harikrishna Punaroor stated:

"All Tulu organisations from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod districts will meet shortly to chart out a plan for a separate State and to take it up with the Centre. The people of these districts had a legitimate reason to seek a separate State. [Noting that most States came into being on the basis of linguistic consideration] people from Tulu-speaking areas too could stake a claim in this regard. Tulu is one of the five Dravidian languages with its own script. The demand for the inclusion of Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution had not materialised over the years due to the apathy of the State and Union governments. Creating a separate State would give a fillip to the growth and sustenance of Tulu. It was the responsibility of elected representatives from the region to press for this cause. If the Government failed to fulfil their demand, an organised agitation would be inevitable."[7]

Mahajan Panel Report

The issue of bifurcation and merger of the northern part of

Chandragiri river) with Karnataka, as recommended by the Justice Mahajan Commission as early as 1968, was discussed in Lok Sabha elections in 2004.[21]

United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate N. A. Muhammed, in an interview with The Hindu, said he would not do anything that would distort or topple a bill favouring the implementation of the Mahajan Commission report. He also said he would not press for implementing the Mahajan Commission report but would certainly not act against it if such a bill was moved in the Parliament.[21]

See also

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Tulu Nadu movement gaining momentum". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 13 August 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ Parpola 2000, p. 386
  3. ^ Bhat 1998, p. 6
  4. ^ M Raghuram. "Telangana fuels separatist fire in Karnataka". Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  5. ^ Economic and political weekly (1997), v. 32, Sameeksha Trust, p. 3114
  6. ^
    Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Mangalore. 21 October 2006. Archived from the original
    on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Tulu organisations to meet soon". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 6 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ "Samithi seeks separate Tulu state". Deccan Herald. 21 October 2006. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ South Kanara District Gazetteer 1973, p. 36
  10. ^ a b "States Reorganization Act 1956". Commonwealth Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  11. ^ Caldwell 1881, p. 49
  12. ^ a b Vasudevan 1998, p. 94
  13. ^ a b The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 14, p. 359
  14. ^ a b The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 14, p. 360
  15. ^ Census of India, District Census Handbook (1961), South Kanara District, p. 192
  16. ^ Bhat 1998, p. 212
  17. ^ a b c Bhat 1998, p. 213
  18. ^ Bhat 1998, p. 214
  19. ^ South Kanara District Gazetteer 1973, p. 93
  20. ^ "Beary Sahitya Academy set up". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 13 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^ a b "Demand to implement Mahajan panel report". The Hindu. 6 May 2004. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

References

Further reading