Jayee Rajguru was 1st Martyr of Odisha: Dharmendra Pradhan

ONI Bureau: Union Minister Dharmendra Padhan, while attending freedom fighter Jayee Rajguru’s 211th martyrdom Day event organised by the Odia Samaj in New Delhi, hailed him as Odisha’s 1st martyr and sought to play down the controversy surrounding the legend, who sacrificed his life to protect the land.

“There should be no debate why Jayee Rajguru waged the war against the British. We must remember that he fought for Jagannath culture and Odia pride. People of Odisha will always remember Jayee Rajguru as a great freedom fighter,” said Dharmendra Pradhan.

“There is no doubt that Jayee Rajguru was the pioneer of movement against the British Empire. The foundation was laid by Jayee Rajguru and Baxi Jagabandhu took it forward in 1817,” said the Minister while saluting the courage, valour and sacrifice of the Paikas in Pakia Rebellion or Paika Bidroha.

“Jayee Rajguru, a great Sanskrit scholar, strategist and the regent of the minor King of Khurda, not only raised a large army of Paikas but also led them from the front to defend the honour of the motherland and in the end became a martyr, being brutally executed by the British,” he said.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid rich tributes to Jayee Rajguru on his 211th martyrdom day. Braja Kishore Tripathy, former Union Minister of Steel and Chief Patron of the Shaheed Jayee Rajguru Foundation, commended the Foundation for doing all hard work to get national recognition for Jayee Rajguru.