Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal visited Rajkanika block to attend as chief guest in the centenary celebration of Praja Andolan.
The function was organised by the Praja Andolan Smruti Sansad.
Prof Lal remembered the sacrifice of the martyrs who fought against the tyranny of British and Raja of Kanika in 1922. The sacrifice of the martyrs of Praja Andolana has been scripted in golden letters on the history of freedom struggle, he said.
The other guests remembered the heroic deeds of the martyrs Basu Sethy of Tentulikoil and Bisuni Madhual of Bartani village along with the peasant leader Ananda Chandra Jena, while observing the centenary celebration of Praja Andolan.
Smruti Sansad president Damodar Dhal said Basu Sethy and Bisuni Madhual were the first martyrs of the Non-cooperation movement called by Mahatma Gandhi in the State.
On April 23, 1922, about 2,000 peasants under the leadership of Basu Sethy and Bisuni Madhual had made an attempt courageously to prevent the British police and the army of Raja of Kanika to enter the village to collect taxes. As a result , the police had opened fire and killed both Basu and Bisuni near the Bebarta pond at village Meghapur, recounted Sansad secretary Sukanta Kumar Das.
