Dharmendra Pradhan urges MP CM to raise memorial of Veer Surendra Sai

BHUBANESWAR: Union education minister

Dharmendra Pradhan

has urged Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav to consider the request of

Western Odisha

people for raising a

memorial

of

Veer Surendra Sai

(VSS), a noted

freedom fighter

and leader of resistance against

British rule

, at

Asirgarh fort

in Madhya Pradesh.
VSS was lodged at Asirgarh jail for his rebellion against British rule.

He remained in the jail for 37 years and died there on February 28, 1884. Deepak Panda, convenor of Surendra Sai Statue Installation Committee, has submitted a petition before the Union minister for considering their request for installation of a statue of VSS and memorial of the freedom fighter at his final resting place.
Pradhan in the letter stated that revolt of VSS against British imperialism in Sambalpur region spanning in two phases-one from 1827 to 1840 and another from 1857 to 1862. “He revolted against the British government when Sambalpur was annexed by the British in 1849 under the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’,” he added.
The rebellion of Sambalpur in 1857 was mostly a tribal rebellion with zamindars of Ghens, Kolabira, Paharsirgira, Machida, Kodabaga, Laida, Loisinga, Lakhanpur, Bheden, Patkulanda, espousing the cause of VSS. “They mobilised the tribals and zamindars of the region and fought against the British forces using guerrilla warfare tactics,” said Pradhan in his letter.

VSS and his son Mitrabhanu Sai and three of his brothers Udanta, Dhrub and Medini were initially jailed at Asirgarh. Additionally, Khageswar Singh Dau of Lakhanpur zamindar family and Loknath Panda of Rampella were shifted to Asirgarh and were kept there since June 8, 1965. Later Kamal Singh Dau of Lakhanpur was also sent to Asirgarh in 1966 as the eighth prisoner from Sambalpur.
VSS’s brother Udanta had stayed in jail for 47 years and died in January 1894. He was the man who suffered maximum jail term among the prisoners. VSS had spent 37 years in jail and died there in 1884. “It would be befitting tribute to VSS and his associates who laid their life for the motherland, to have a memorial with a life-sized horse-riding statue of VSS at Asirgarh fort,” said the Union minister in his request letter to MP CM.