Visva-Bharati dig at Amartya Sen: Deplore mudslinging meant to fulfil vested interests

It further read, “Two options are open — the confusion that Prof Sen seems to be happily nurturing shall be cleared with the intervention of the court of law or through discussion with the Visva-Bharati authorities. The issue needs to be addressed freely and frankly with no baggage carried from distortions of the reality.”

The university claimed that of a total of 1,134 acres of land, 77 acres were encroached till 2018. In the last four years, the university authorities have reclaimed 15 acres of land from the illegal occupants, the press release said.

“The drive to evict illegal occupants started in response to an order of Government of India dated November 30, 2017,” it said.

It further read, “In case of Prof Amartya Sen, the process for the mutation of land that was given to his father Ashutosh Sen began with the letter of Amartya to the then Vice-Chancellor Rajat Ray. In the letter, Prof Amartya asked Ray “whether appropriate legal steps can be taken during his forthcoming visit to Santiniketan”.

“The information and documents shared with Prof Sen vide our letters dated 24-01-2023 and 27-01-2023 make it amply clear that 1.38-acre land was never leased out to late Ashutosh Sen. Only 1.25-acre land was leased out to him. Following the application dated 31-10-2005, lease of only 1.25 acre land was mutated in his favour for the residual period of lease tenure, as permitted by the executive council of the University in its meeting dated 03-09-2006.”

The university authorities on January 24 issued a letter to Amartya Sen, asking him to hand over parts of a plot he has been allegedly occupying at Santiniketan.

In a letter to Prof Sen, the varsity’s Deputy Registrar said, “It has been found from records and physical survey/demarcation that you are in unauthorised occupation of 13 decimals of land belonging to Visva Bharati….”

Then on January 27, another letter was sent to Prof Sen again asking to return the occupied land. “The annexed letter dated January 24 and other documents are self-explanatory. You are in possession of 1.38 acres of land which is in excess of your legal entitlement of 1.25 acres. Kindly return the land to Visva-Bharati as early as possible since the application of the laws of the land will cause embarrassment to you and also to Visva-Bharati which you endear so much,” reads the letter dated January 27.

The Nobel Laureate had earlier said that most of the land he is holding at Santiniketan (in Birbhum district) was “purchased from the market” by his father Ashutosh Sen while some other plots were taken on lease.

On January 25, Sen had wondered as why the central university suddenly has become “so active” in trying to drive him out of “that place”.

He also said that his lawyers will reply to such letters. University officials said the letter was delivered to the Santiniketan residence of the economist.

The Trinamool Congress leaders have opposed the university’s move. Party MP and general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said on Saturday, “The main reason behind the vitriolic attack on Amartya Sen is his praise for Mamata Banerjee. Since he praised the CM, 1.5 acres of land turned 100 acres… Had he not praised Mamata Banerjee and instead had glorified the BJP, the picture would have been different. It is very shameful and unfortunate the way an attack on a person like Amartya Sen is being made.”