Khurda: President Ram Nath Kovind has been requested to lay the foundation stone of proposed Paika Rebellion memorial at the foot of historic Barunei hills during his two-day visit to the state starting September 27, petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Saturday.
The President’s office, however, is yet to confirm his attendance at the event.
Pradhan along with state tourism minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi visited the 10-acre site allocated by the state government Saturday to do a field study of the area.
In the evening, Pradhan interacted with the media at the collector’s conference hall in Khurda where he said, “It has been in the agenda of the Union government to get the people of the state in particular and of the nation in general a national memorial to commemorate the 200 years of Paika Rebellion – the first war of freedom movement.”
“Barunei is the source of encouragement for Odias. On the occasion of bicentenary celebration of Paika Bidroh, it would be on its way of transformation, from a historical place to a new pilgrimage and tourist spot which will expound the heroic deeds of Odias,” Pradhan said.
He also informed that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has made available ten acres of land for the memorial.
PNN