Bolpur (West Bengal): Intellectuals staged a sit-in on Saturday protesting against Visva-Bharati's 'eviction threat' to Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen. Among the intellectuals, filmmaker Gautam Ghosh, painter Suvaprasanna and others were present on the occasion.
Protesters are staging a novel protest by rendering songs and painting near Amartya Sen's house 'Pratichi'.
Meanwhile, TMC MLAs were present at the protest expressing their solidarity with intellectuals following the direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It may be recalled that the Visva-Bharati authorities put up a notice at the 'Pratichi' house in Santiniketan warning Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to release the extra 1.3 decimal land that he allegedly in possession of. The varsity authorities also set a deadline of May 6 to handover the land. However, the Calcutta High Court has stayed this directive of Visva-Bharati in a recent order.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee threatens Visva-Bharati on Amartya Sen land issue
Various organisations joined the agitation protesting against the verbal attack on Bharat Ratna Amartya Sen, by the Visva-Bharati authorities and Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty. Following this, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rallied behind Amartya Sen and issued a stern warning to the varsity authorities on Friday during her trip to Kolkata from Malda.
"I will not let go of Amartya Sen's house," she said. On the request of the Chief Minister, the intellectuals gathered in front of Pratichi on Saturday morning. Various programmes were organised by Baul and tribal dancers. Film director Gautam Ghosh, painter Suvaprasanna, social activist Prasun Bhowmik and several others were present. Minister Chandranath Singh, MP Asit Mal, along with MLAs, and Birbhum Core Committee members of the party were present there.
“I have come all the way from Kolkata to voice my protest against the harassment and insult to an internationally respected economist like Amartya Sen, who is among the country’s pride. The way his land issue is being treated by Visva-Bharati authorities is unfortunate as the matter is sub-judice,” Ghosh said. Painter Suvaprasanna said, "We will see the end of it. How can a world-renowned man be called a land grabber day in and day out by the Vice Chancellor? It is an insult to Bengalis. So we are forced to take this step."
