Sangharsh is legacy for this village

MIRANAGAR (Sitapur): Struggle is both fate and way of life for this remote village in UP's Sitapur district. As many as 33 freedom fighters from Miranagar village were jailed in February 1942 at the peak of the Quit India movement.
On the occasion of the country's 70th Independence Day on Monday, the villagers- almost all of whom are in one way or another related to the pre-Independence heroes - are set to launch a campaign demanding for a new inter-college for girls here.
"We are not ordinary people. Sangharsh (struggle) is our legacy," says Bhagwant Sharan (93), the only living member of the famous 33. The latest "sangharsh" will officially kick off after the flag hoisting ceremony on Monday morning and posters and banners will be used to showcase the demand for a new college, he said.
"I think no village in UP is home to 33 freedom fighters," says Abhay Raj, a former pradhan. "We have also given more than 40 soldiers to the Indian army. But development has always been a far-fetched dream for us."
A primary school was opened soon after Independence. "That school helped change the fate of many in our village by encouraging the youth to go for higher education," says village pradhan Suman, who also happens to be Bhagwant Sharan's great-daughter-in-law. "But it was mostly boys who opted for upper primary, intermediate and college level studies. At least 50% girls continue to quit school after Class V due to the absence of a proper school."
Primary school teacher Manju Devi says the nearest inter-college is in Paitepur, about 7km away. "Many parents, especially those with limited means, are reluctant to send their girls to this school because it is a private institution. Safety concerns for teenage girls also holds them back," she says. The village elders still talk about how much they were inspired when Gandhiji visited the village in the late 1920s, says Netra Pal Singh, a former government school principal. "But the politicians of today don't pay any attention to our demand. We have urged different politicians to help us start a college but to no avail," he says.
Home to 900 families, most people in Miranagar are direct descendants of the 33 freedom fighters. And almost everyone has an interesting pre-Independence story to share. But the most endearing tale comes from Bhagwant Saran, the lone surviving member from the group of 33.
"We used to hoist the national flag every day (before Independence). And most of us went to jail on charges of unlawful assembly," he says. Saran says he can also vividly recall how the village would serve as a hideout for freedom fighters on the run. "Our women used to make food packets and place them outside the house for a quiet take-away," he says. He also remembers how villagers united to give a pension of Rs 2 to the family of the Harijan freedom fighter duo Sukhai and Deena. "The women were starving when the village took upon the responsibility of their welfare," he says.