Amartya Sen approaches court against eviction notice from Visva-Bharati University

Kolkata: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has approached a district court in Birbhum district of West Bengal against the eviction notice issued by the Visva-Bharati University authorities in the ongoing dispute over 13 decimals of land.

The university authorities accuse Sen of illegally occupying the land within the varsity campus at Bolpur Santiniketan in the district.

The eviction notice was issued on April 20 asking the globally acclaimed economist to vacate the “disputed” 13 decimals of land by May 6. Sen is currently in the US.

On Friday, Sen’s counsel Gorachand Chakraborty informed media persons that an appeal against the eviction notice has already been filed at the district court of Suri in Birbhum district and the first hearing in the matter will be on May 15.

This week while interacting with the media persons, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack against the university authorities and even threatened to stage a sit-in demonstration in front of Sen’s residence if there is any attempt to forcefully impose the eviction.

The dispute over the 13 decimals of land started when the vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University, Bidyut Chakraborty started accusing Sen of illegally occupying 1.38 acres of land which is in excess of his legal entitlement of 1.25 acres.

However, the Nobel laureate refuted the allegation claiming the original 1.25 acres was gifted to his grandfather Late Kshitimohan Sen who was the second vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University.

Later, Sen’s father Late Asutosh Sen, who was also a professor with the same university, purchased the remaining 13 decimals of land, which is at the centre of the dispute.

The West Bengal government has recently transferred leasehold rights of the entire 1.38 acres of land to Sen to thwart any eviction attempt by the university authorities.