The BJP-led NDA government’s efforts to consolidate the saffron party’s base in Odisha by honouring the state's past has led to competitive politics in th e state. As part of this race, the Union government is commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Paika rebellion by holding a gala function, to be graced by President Pranab Mukherjee, at Delhi on Thursday. Kins of martyrs of the mutiny, 150 of them, are being send for the event by the BJP.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged the Centre to declare 'Paika Rebellion' as the First War of Indian Independence, a day after the state cabinet resolved to demand it. "I request the Government of India to consider this proposal positively so that the people of India appreciate, in correct perspective, the events that led to the Indian freedom struggle and our historic independence from foreign rule," Patnaik wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Patnaik said that the 1817 Paika Rebellion of Odisha qualified to be called as the "First War of Indian Independence" not simply because it took place four decades prior to the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, but due to its very nature and characteristics. He stated that the rebellion, popularly known as 'Paika Bidroha', was a broad based and well organised struggle against the oppressive rule of the East India Company.
The issue is expected to become an emotional one, as Odisha takes pride in its glorious past and the politicians are constantly reviving it. The BJP and BJD are hoping to win the support of the kshatriyas and chashas (farming communities), who constitute a sizeable chunk of OBCs. Paikas are a part of these communities, but when there was a call for war by the erstwhile kings of Odisha they were part of the militia.
The politics over Paika rebellion began during the last Parliament budget session. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced as part of the budget that the NDA government will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Paika rebellion along with the centenaries at Gandhi’s Sabaramati Ashram in Ahmedabad and centenary of Champaran satyagraha in Bihar.
Following this, the Odisha government in its budget for the current financial year announced a special scheme—Basudha, in memory of Bakshi Jagabandhu, leader of the rebellion. The then finance minister of state, Pradip Kumar Amat, said while presenting the budget, "In the bicentenary year of Paika Bidroha (rebellion), we propose to launch a new scheme—Buxi Jagabandhu Assured Water Supply to Habitations (Basudha)—as a befitting tribute to the memory of the legendary leader Bakshi Jagabandhu." He said, the scheme had two components for drinking water supply initiatives with provision of Rs 315 crore for urban area and Rs 750 crore for rural regions.
According to Ashok Panda, minister of tourism and culture, the department would soon submit a proposal to the centre with full documentary support in favour of Odisha’s demand that the rebellion be declared as first war of independence in India.
In March 1817, Paika rebellion began along the coastal line of Odisha with Khurda as the centre. It was a war against the British East India Company rule in India. Bakshi Jagabandhu,who was the commander of forces of Raja of Khurda, led the Paikas by projecting Lord Jagannath of Puri as the symbol of Odia unity. Later, the rebellion spread to other parts of the state. But within months, British forces quelled it and Bakshi spent the rest of his last life as a prisoner.
Panda claims that the state culture department has been organising different programmes since August of 2016 with regard to the Paika rebellion. The Odisha government wants to project Paika rebellion as something unique in India. State government said, "The Paika rebellion represents the emergence of an organised rebellion against foreign rule in India. It played the role of a torch-bearer and catalyst in shaping the people’s movement of resistance, which ultimately led to the Indian independence movement."
Odisha government has requested centre to issue a postage stamp to mark the occasion. The chief minister has also requested the centre to start a train from Bhubaneswar to Mumbai in memory of Bakshi Jagabandhu. Panda has said the state government is planning to hold Amar Jyoti Stambha, like Delhi, at Bhubaneswar in memory of the martyrs. He said, Odisha will organise a national seminar on Paika rebellion at Delhi.
The BJP, with Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan as its chief ministerial candidate, has successfully given Paika rebellion its due national recognition. Chief minister Patnaik will be attending Thursday's Delhi programme.
While BJP and BJD are fighting over the Paika rebellion and Bakshi Jagabandhu's legacy, the untimely death of Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, a fiery leader, left Congress out of the race.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bhubaneswar in last April, in connection with BJP’s national executive, had felicitated the descendants of 16 families involved in the uprising though controversies broke out later. Anyway, it is clear that BJP is taking up local emotive issues to browbeat the regional party BJD, which shows that national parties have to adopt state wise agenda to face provincial parties.
