New Delhi: There have been widespread outrage and protests over Visva Bharati’s eviction notice to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen over an ongoing land row.
And now, scores of eminent personalities from India and abroad have written to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking action against Visva Bharati University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bidyut Chakrabarty over his administration’s push to evict the celebrated economist from a stretch of land at his ancestral home ‘Pratichi’, in Santiniketan.
The letter, dated June 9, has been signed by 302 people — eminent academicians, professionals, researchers, students, alumni and citizens from civil society organisations.
The letter to President Murmu condemned the central university’s correspondence with Sen using “indecent language” and alleging that the economist “illegally grabbed the land of Visva Bharati which they cannot substantiate.”
They pointed out that in the letters issued by Visva Bharati administration, “it has been claimed that the concerned lease deed was executed for 1.25 acres of land, but Sen possesses 1.38 acres of land.”
Visva Bharati issued the eviction notice to the 89-year-old Sen in April accusing him of “illegally occupying” 0.13 acres (5,500 sq ft) of land on the campus.
Calcutta High Court has, however, stayed Visva Bharati’s eviction notice.
“Ironically, a document attached with one of the letters issued to Sen by Visva Bharati administration exhibits that 1.38 acres of land have been legally recorded in the name of Ashutosh Sen, father of Amartya Sen,” the academicians stated.
