BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday reiterated the demand that the Centre should accord the status of First War of Independence to Paika Rebellion of 1817 against British rule and said his Government will provide free land for the memorial proposed to be set up by the Centre.Describing Baxi Jagabandhu as a legendary revolutionary and the brave son of the soil who fought valiantly against the Britishers to free the country from their rule, the Chief Minister said the Paika Rebellion launched under his leadership was the First War of Independence in India against British rule.
Paikas were traditional landed militia under the state’s Gajapati rulers. Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of the King of Khurda, had led his army of Paikas in 1817 against the British East India Company for tinkering with the revenue system and forced its forces to retreat. “If the Centre accords this status to the Paika Rebellion, it will be a best tribute to Bakshi Jagabandhu,” Naveen said and added that the rebellion had posed a major challenge to the British rule.
“It is a matter of happiness that the Central Government has decided to establish a Paika Rebellion memorial at Barunei.
I welcome this proposal. The State Government will provide free land and all cooperation for this,” he said.The Chief Minister was speaking at a function where Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar at Arugul and unveiled a slew of projects for Odisha through video conferencing.
Naveen also reiterated the demand for a new train from Odisha in the name of Bakshi Jagabandhu.
Naveen thanked the Prime Minister for releasing a commemorative postage stamp and a coin on the occasion of bicentenary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion and for inaugurating a Chair on the Paika Rebellion in the Utkal University. The Chief Minister assured all necessary support for timely completion of infrastructural projects for which Modi laid the foundation stone. Congratulating the IITians, Patnaik said IIT-Bhubaneswar has already witnessed three convocations and become one of the leading institutes of the country in science and technology.