Bolpur (West Bengal): The Visva Bharati University wrote to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Thursday, asking the economist to suggest a date for a joint survey of the plot of his ancestral home 'Pratichi'. The varsity has sent two such missives earlier last month to the economist for allegedly occupying parts of land leased to his family in an unauthorised manner.
In a statement seeking a suitable date and time from Sen to conduct the survey, the university said, "With reference to our earlier letters, this is to inform you that the university wants to survey and demarcate jointly the land mutated in your favor for the residential period as per lease deal executed on October 27, 1943, vide resolution no 8 dated September 3, 2006, of the executive council of Visva Bharati and communicated to you on October 31, 2006."
"In view of the above, you are requested to kindly let us know the suitable date and time (at least for two days) as per your convenience for a joint survey/demarcation of the property as stated above," the letter further read. Sen visited his ancestral home on January 16, and on January 24, authorities at the Visva Bharati University sent a letter to him accusing him of unauthorised occupation of university land and directed him to return the property. A similar letter was sent to Sen on January 27 to hand over the 13 decimals of land at the earliest.
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The university has also accused Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee for backing Sen. The acting Public Relations Officer of the university, Mahua Banerjee criticised Mamata's visit to Sen's house and questioned her for not ordering a survey on the disputed land. In a counter attack, Mamata criticised Bidyut Chakraborty, the vice-chancellor of Visva Bharati University.
