Politics Over Paika Rebellion Gains Steam In Odisha Amid BJP-BJD War Of Words

Bhubaneswar: Politics over completion of the much talked about Paika Rebellion Memorial at Barunei in Odisha’s Khurda district seems to be gaining steam ahead of the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections due next year.

While Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the state government and blamed it for the delay in completion of the project, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) slammed the Centre for failing to officially recognise Paika rebellion as the first war of independence in the country.

BJD leaders demanded concrete steps by the BJP-led government at the Centre for accord the first war of independence tag to Paika rebellion.

Hitting back at BJD over the issue, senior BJP leader and MLA Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra on Sunday held the Naveen Patnaik government responsible for tardy progress in implementation of the Paika Rebellion Memorial project.

Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, Mohapatra alleged that BJD has been conspiring to derail the project as it does not want it to come up.

Accusing BJD of lacking interest and intent, the BJP leader said that the Centre has sought 50 acres of land for implementation of the project. However, the state government has provided only 9.5 acres for the project as it is not serious about it, he claimed.

The project has failed to make headway primarily because of delay in transfer of land for setting up the memorial, the BJP legislator said, adding that the saffron party will raise the issue in the coming Assembly session.

Reacting sharply to BJP’s claims, senior BJD leader and Culture Minister Ashwini Kumar Patra claimed that the Central government as well as the Odisha unit of the saffron party have little knowledge about independence struggle.

Accusing BJP of shedding crocodile tears because of its lack of knowledge on history, Patra said BJD has been demanding first war of independence tag to Paika rebellion. However, the Centre is yet to officially declare it.

Fearing defeat in the next elections, BJP is now trying to mislead people by raising the issue, Patra claimed.

It may be noted here that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJD MP from Cuttack Bhartruhari Mahtab reently visited Barunei hill in Khurda district, where the memorial is proposed to be set up. Both expressed concerns over the tardy progress of the Paika Rebellion Memorial in Odisha.

Though six years have elapsed since the completion of 200 years of Paika Rebellion and three years since the foundation stone laying ceremony for the project, the memorial is yet to make a tangible headway.

Dharmendra said the project was initiated in 2017 when then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made a provision in the Budget for the memorial. According national recognition to the fight of brave warriors (Paikas) of Odisha against the British rule, 200 years of Paika Rebellion in Odisha was celebrated in New Delhi on July 20.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released coins and postal stamps in memory of the Odia warriors on the foothill of Barunei on December 14, 2018. Former President Ramnath Kovind also laid foundation stone for the memorial on December 8, 2019. “It is unfortunate that despite the Centre’s initiatives, the state government is yet to take any step for the Paika Memorial,” he added.

Stating that it is not an industrial or railway project, Pradhan said it is a symbol of pride of all Odias. “The Ministry of Culture is ready to accept all conditions of the state government like providing fund for translocation of trees. I urge the government to start the work of the memorial without further delay,” the Minister had said.

Mahtab had said it will be appropriate to take quick steps to complete the project as already there has been much delay. IOCL and the Centre are sanctioning funds, while the state government has provided land for the memorial project, he said.