After 144 yrs, Gujarat govt recognises Nayaks’ martyrdom

After 144 years of their sacrifice, the Gujarat government has recognised the martyrdom of 13 leaders from the Nayak community, thanks to the relentless struggle by the members of the community. On Sunday, chief minister Narendra Modi will visit Vadekh village of Jambughoda taluka in the Panchmahals district to lay the foundation stone for a Shahid Smarak.

On April 16, 1868, these 13 leaders from the nomadic and scheduled caste community of Nayak were hanged to death by the Britishers in Vadekh village. Since that day, the community had been struggling to see that the martyrdom is recognised.

These 13 people from the Nayak community were guarding Jambughoda after a large number of people migrated in the aftermath of an Islamic attack. According to locals, a group of Nayaks reformed the society in Jambughoda after many years of the Islamic invasion at Pavagadh and later on even protected people from British invaders.

"Six out of them were officially hanged, while the other seven were awarded lifer and sent to Kala Pani in Andaman and Nicobar islands where they were hanged illegally," local leader and former MLA, Vachat Bariya, said. Nayak Community Charitable Trust has been formed by Bariya to undertake activities to remember the martyrdom.

"On April 16, 1868, based on a circular passed by the British government, all these 13 people were arrested by the local rulers of Sankheda and Vadodara and handed over to Britishers," social activist and religious guru Mareysmit Swami said. Swami was the first one to raise the issue of forgotten martyrs.

"It is been mentioned in the Gazette of the Panchmahals government of the British era as to why, when and where these 13 people were hanged," he said. "I have been fighting for it for last one year," he said.

The martyrs from the Nayak community not only protected a large numbers of residents from the Britishers but also resisted the attempts by the Britishers to enter Jambughoda.