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Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Gowda said that Rashmika Mandanna “should be taught a lesson for identifying herself as someone from Hyderabad”
Codava National Council (CNC) alleged that Rashmika Mandanna is being bullied by Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Gowda.
The Codava National Council (CNC) submitted a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Karnataka counterpart G Parameshwara requesting them to provide protection to multilingual film actress Rashmika Mandanna after she faced criticism from ruling Congress MLA Ravi Kumar Gowda (Ganiga) and Kannada activist T A Narayana Gowda for identifying herself as “being from Hyderabad rather than Karnataka.”
CNC president N U Nachappa, in a letter to Shah and Parameshwara, alleged that the actress is being “bullied and intimidated by a legislator,” which is considered as an act of “hooliganism” by the Kodavas.
Nachappa added that Rashmika, who hails from the Indigenous Codava tribal race from Codavaland, has gained much fame and success in the Indian film industry through her talent and hard work.
The organisation underlined that the actress has collaborated with prominent Bollywood actors such as Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan.
“The CNC emphasises that Rashmika’s freedom to make her own choices should be respected and that she should not be coerced into complying with the whims of the legislature. The council also highlights that the legislator’s actions reflect Codava phobia, as they are targeting Rashmika solely because of her community,” said the CNC president.
“In light of this, the CNC is demanding that the government ensure Rashmika’s safety and treat her with the respect she deserves, protecting her rights and upholding justice,” he further stated.
“It is ironic that the people of Mandya, who heavily rely on the Cauvery River, have an MLA who is bullying Rashmika Mandanna, the beloved daughter of Mother Cauvery and a renowned actress from the region,” Nachappa said.
He further said that the actions of the MLA are particularly egregious considering that they took an oath to protect the people, uphold the Constitution and not harass anyone.
He said that Mandanna’s “bullying” is not just a personal attack on the actress but also an affront to the dignity of Codavaland and the Cauvery region’s people. He said that it is important to stand against such behaviour and extend support to those facing harassment or bullying.
What Did Congress MLA Say About Rashmika Mandanna?
Recently, Mandya MLA Ganiga said that Mandanna hails from Kodagu district in Karnataka and “should be taught a lesson for identifying herself as someone from Hyderabad.”
“Rashmika Mandanna began her career in Karnataka with her debut in the Kannada film ‘Kirik Party’ (2016). The last time she was invited to a film festival, she said that she resides in Hyderabad,” Ganiga said to the reporters.
The MLA further alleged that Mandanna said she did not know where Karnataka was and also did not participate in the film festival, citing a lack of time.
“One of our MLAs visited her home and invited her multiple times, but she spoke rudely about Kannada despite growing up in Kannada land. Shouldn’t she be taught a lesson?” said Ganiga.
(With inputs from PTI)
