By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 18, 2017: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears fighting over credit to make Paika Rebellion a historical event.

Odisha government in a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved a proposal to recommend the Centre to declare ‘Paika Bidroha’ as the first War of Independence in the history of India.

The state government’s move comes in the wake of the proposed programme by the NDA government to celebrate the bi-centenary celebration of the historical event from July 20 next.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley, in his budget speech, had announced to commemorate the Paika Rebellion, an armed uprising against the British East India Company in Khurda area of Odisha in 1817 bringing cheers among people across the state.

“Two-hundred years ago in 1817, a valiant uprising of soldiers led by Buxi Jagabandhu (Bidyadhar Mohapatra) took place in Khurda of Odisha. We will commemorate the same appropriately,” Jaitley had then said.

As a counter strategy, the Naveen Patnaik government now insists that the 1817 Paika Bidroha should be regarded as the first war for Independence in the country as it took place 40 years before the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.

“The social framework of the rebellion was pluralistic and multidimensional. It was a widespread movement in which various sections of people took part. It cannot be called a war of resistance because it was a complete war of Independence against the British rule in Khurda,” state culture minister Ashok Panda told media persons. .

The Paikas were the traditional land-owning militia of Odisha and served as warriors. They revolted against the British after the later took over their rent-free land, 14 years after Odisha came under British rule in 1803.

The Buxi-led rebels first attacked the police station of Banpur, burnt government quarters and looted the treasury. After a British commander was killed during a fight at Gangapada, the government officials fled Khurda in fear. The revolt spread like wildfire to other parts of the state such as Gop, Kanika and Kujanga and lasted for around one and half year.

Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, Paikas of Khurda had said they would propose before the Centre to set up a ‘Paika Academy’ in State at a special function on July 20 in Delhi marking the 200th anniversary of Khurda Paika Rebellion.