President of the Codava National Council N.U. Nachappa said on Monday that the exemption certificate to hold firearms in place of licences was a privilege given to the Kodava people by the Centre. No one could interfere with it, Mr. Nachappa said addressing a gathering at Kakkabe in Madikeri taluk.

The CNC was organising awareness programmes on the right of Kodava people to hold weapons without licence ever since the Forest Department issued a circular making permission from them necessary to possess firearms.

source: http:/ww.TheHindu.com / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysore, October 09th, 2012