Bolpur: The Visva Bharati authorities have served an eviction notice to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen for allegedly occupying around 13 decimal of land owned by the University. The notice asking the economist to vacate the land was put up on the gates of his disputed residence 'Pratichi' in Shantiniketan.
The Visva Bharati authorities have alleged that the Nobel laureate has occupied the additional 13 decimal of land illegally and asked him to vacate it. According to the eviction notice, the University authorities will take a final decision on the disputed property on April 19. Police have been directed to ensure to the maintenance of law and order in the area.
"The land is public property and cannot be occupied. A lot of time was given to Professor Amartya Sen. He neither appeared in person nor sent his representative. On April 19, Visva-Bharati authorities will take a final decision regarding this land," read the notice. A copy of the notice has been submitted to the Birbhum District Magistrate, District Superintendent of Police, Bolpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and Santiniketan Police Station.
Sen, who is currently abroad apprehended that the property may be taken away in his absence. Gitikanth Majumdar, in charge of maintaining 'Pratichi' approached the executive magistrate of the Bolpur subdivision over Sen's apprehension. During the hearing in the court of the Sub-Divisional Office, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ayan Nath directed the officer-in-charge of Santiniketan police station to maintain peace and order in the premises of 'Pratichi'. The guideline will remain in place till the next hearing on May 6. Police have also been asked to furnish regular reports on the matter.
Earlier, Visva-Bharati authorities had issued a show cause notice to Sen asking why an eviction notice should not be sent to him. The University had asked him to either appear in person or send a representative to the University's central office in Bolpur in West Bengal's Birbhum district on March 29. It had also sought relevant documents substantiating his claim over the property.
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Visva Bharati Vice Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty has repeatedly attacked Sen on the issue. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in January visited Sen's Satiniketan residence and handed over documents stating that the land belonged to him. The land was leased in favor of Sen's late father Ashutosh Sen for 99 years in 1943. Later in 2005, the land's mutation was conducted in favor of Sen. However, the Visva Bharati authorities alleged that 13 decimal of land is being illegally occupied.
