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

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.