Paika rebellion cannot be called the first War of Independence: Centre

After consultation with Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), the Centre clarified that the Paika rebellion cannot be called the first War of Independence.

Context

After consultation with Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), the Centre clarified that the Paika rebellion cannot be called the first War of Independence.

• ‘Paika Bidroha’ was set off in March, 1817, and continued until May, 1825.

About Paika Rebellion (1817)

• In 2017, the Odisha state cabinet had passed a proposal to formally urge the centre to declare the Paika rebellion as the first war of Independence.
• The Paiks of Odisha were the traditional landed militia (‘foot soldiers’ literally). They enjoyed rent free land tenures for their military service and policing functions on a hereditary basis.
• The English Company’s conquest of Odisha in 1803 had greatly reduced the power and prestige of the Paiks.
• Further, the extortionist land revenue policy of the Company caused resentment among zamindars and peasants alike.
• With active support of Mukunda Deva, the last Raja of Khurda, and other zamindars of the region, Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar led a sundry army of Paikas forcing the East India Company forces to retreat for a time.
• In 1825 Jagabandhu surrendered under negotiated terms.
• The Paik Rebellion succeeded in getting large remissions of arrears, reductions in assessments, suspension of the sale of the estates of defaulters at discretion, a new settlement on fixed tenures and other adjuncts of liberal governance.

The first War of Independence

• At present, the Indian Mutiny or Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 is called the first war of Independence against British Rule.