On Thursday, Calcutta High Court ordered interim stay to Visva-Bharati University authority on eviction notice of a part of Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen's ancesteral land named as "Pratichi". University authority claimed and urged Nobel Laureate economist to vacate the 13 decimal of land which the university authority claimed that Sen is occupying illegally. On April 20, University served a notice to Sen in which the university has asked him to vacate 13 decimals of its land by May 6 or within 15 days of the publication of the last order. The notice said that in case of refusal or failure to comply with the order, "Amartya Kumar Sen and all concerned persons are liable to be evicted from the said premises if need be, by use of such force as may be necessary." The notice which was issued by the Joint Registrar Asish Mahato said, “More or less 13 decimals occupied unauthorized by Sri Amartya Kumar Sen in the north-west corner of Visva-Bharati plot no 201 ie LR plot no 1900/2487 (having a total area of 1.38 acres) in LR Khatian no 270 Corresponding to R.S plot no 1900/2487 & fürther corresponding to Part of C.S. Plot no. 1900, Mouza: Surul, J.L. no 104, P.S. Santiniketan.” The notice also said, “He (Amartya Sen) can lawfully occupy 1.25 acres of land only, as lessee (for the residual period of lease) in the scheduled premises. He does not have the authority to occupy 1.38 acres of land in the scheduled premises. Therefore, this occupation of additional 13 decimals of land by him in the concerned public premises is definitely a case of "unauthorized occupation".” Notice further said, “Now, the question is which portion covering 13 decimals area in the scheduled public premises may be recovered from Sri Sen. Plots on the west and east sides of the premises, are owned by Visva-Bharati. On the northern side we have the PWD road. On the southern side, Sri Sen and his family own their private lands. Sri Sen could have participated in joint survey / hearing etc. and indicated his choice. In the absence of such choice, on study of survey reports prepared by Estate Office in 2006 and considering the fact that Sri Sen's access to his ancestral house should not be disturbed, it is decided that 13 decimals of land having the dimension of 50 ft. × 111 ft. in the north-west corner of the scheduled premises is to be recovered from him.” According to the notice, “Visva-Bharati, is a century-old educational institution founded by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and an institution of national importance declared by the Parliament. Visva-Bharati's public property is maintained out of taxpayers' money. There are directives/ advisories from the Gov't of India/ West Bengal, reports of the expert committees on security and maintenance of assets of Visva-Bharati, and the CAG's audit observations regarding the necessity and urgency of removing unauthorized occupation or encroachment from the public premises of Visva-Bharati.” After this notice served, Sen filed a case to Calcutta High Court this month seeking relief from this notice. Earlier, Sen also filed a case in Suri court of Birbhum district arguing that in October 1943, the then Visva-Bharati general secretary Rathindranath Tagore had given 1.38 acre of land for a lease of 99 years to his father Ashutosh Sen, who later built 'Pratichi'. Single bench of Calcutta High Court comprising Justice Bibhash Ranjan De on Thursday ordered that, till the next hearing of the lower court, the matter will be stayed. The next hearing is due on May 15 in Suri Court. After the Visva-Bharati notice, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered her party leaders to sit in dharna in front of Sen's house if Visva-Bharati tried to evict the land. On Thursday morning, local TMC also started building structures to sit in dharna. The Visva Bharati earlier posted a notice on the boundary walls next to the entrance of Pratichi, the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen in Santiniketan, providing the economist with an ultimatum to appear before the varsity authorities at 12 noon on 19 April for the disposal of proceedings on the disputed 13 decimal plot which the institution has accused Professor Sen of being an “alleged unauthorized occupant”. After the notice posted, Amartya Sen sent a letter to the Visva-Bharati authorities to underline his right to the land of Pratichi, the family's ancestral home, which was in the name of his father Ashutosh Sen. The Nobel laureate asserted that any "contrary claim" to the plot couldn't stand till the expiry of the leasehold rights. "We have seen a statement issued by some parts of the Visva-Bharati about my ancestral home at Pratichi, Santiniketan, which has been in the possession and regular use of my family since 1943. I am the holder of the land, and it was passed on to me after the death of my parents Ashutosh Sen and Amita Sen. They also purchased other land in close proximity to the leased land," reads Sen's letter addressed to the joint registrar and estate officer of Visva-Bharati.
