Road in Uppinangady to be named after Manja Baidya: MLA

Mangaluru: Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced that the main road in Uppinangady in his constituency will be named after the freedom fighter martyr Manja Baidya, who was a resident of Uppinangady and belonged to the Billava community. A statue of him will also be unveiled in Gejjegeiri. On May 27, 1837, Manja Baidya was hanged by the British in Mangaluru. The British displayed cruelty by leaving his body hanging until it decomposed, Rai told reporters on Tuesday."It is 186 years since Manja Baidya was hanged for fighting against the British. There is no road, statue, or even a pillar in his memory. The farmer rebellion known as ‘Kalyanappa's Katukai' occurred in 1837 in Dakshina Kannada, 20 years before the first war of Independence. The rebellion was sparked by high taxes imposed by the British, the requirement to pay taxes in cash, and crop taxes. One of the leaders of this rebellion was freedom fighter Kedambadi Ramayya Gowda and his statue is being unveiled," Rai said.Kalyanappa's army marched forward and on April 5, 1837, the revolutionaries reached the district collector's office in Mangaluru, lowered the British flag, hoisted the revolutionary flag, and chanted slogans for Mother India. For 13 days, Dakshina Kannada was free from British rule. However, the British army later suppressed this ‘Canara Rebellion'. Many died in the battle, and many were captured. Among the captured fighters was Manja Baidya from Uppinangady. The British administration conducted a court-martial and sentenced Manja Baidya, Appayya Gowda, Kalyanaswami Puttabasappa, and Nandavar Lakshmappa Bangarasa to death by hanging. On May 27, 1837, Manja Baidya was publicly hanged in Mangaluru, the MLA said.