Visva-Bharati faculty association plans protest against eviction order to Amartya Sen

The Nobel laureate has said that the ancestral home at Santiniketan has been in regular use of his family since 1943

The Visva-Bharati University’s eviction order to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen concerning “unauthorised” occupation of additional 13 decimals of land hasn’t gone well with a section of faculty members at Santiniketan who are ideating about how to convey their stand peacefully against the development.

“We will develop a peaceful protest movement, once the weather is conducive. This will be with other stakeholders, and citizens,” Sudipta Bhattacharyya, university professor, and president of Visva-Bharati University Faculty Association, said. Bhattacharyya, who keeps in touch with Sen, said that the land issue seems to have turned into a focus area, and has eclipsed all other academic activities.

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A spokesperson for the university, on Thursday, had told DH that the issue had been communicated several times to Sen, before proceedings commenced. The eviction order was also pasted on the main gate of the property concerned by the estate office, a university source confirmed.

Bhattacharyya said that the proceedings have moved despite there being a magistrate order for maintaining the current status.

In a recent communication with the university, Sen had mentioned: “The magistrate of the area has noted that the existing arrangement should be recognised and that no interference or breach of peace should be allowed.”

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He had also mentioned that the ancestral home at Santiniketan, has been in regular use of his family since 1943. While the same was passed onto him after his parents’ death, additional land in close proximity to the leased land was also purchased by his parents. Sen is expected to be back at Santiniketan in June.

“We condemn the way the university has developed this crisis,” Bhattacharyya said.

The argument between the Visva-Bharati, and Sen, has turned into a long-drawn confrontation. On April 19, the university’s joint registrar & estate officer – in an order – directed Sen, and all persons, “who may be in occupation of the said premises or any part thereof to vacate the said premises within 15 days of the date of publication of this order, or within 06th May 2023, whichever is later”.