West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday intervened in the ongoing controversy between Amartya Sen and Visva Bharati University, and criticised the university authorities for “disrespecting” the Nobel laureate. The Chief Minister, who visited Professor Sen’s residence in Santiniketan, handed over the documents relating to the land on which his house ‘Pratichi’ is built.
On January 24, the Visva Bharati University administration had sent a letter to Professor Sen, stating that he had occupied 0.13 decimal more land that was taken in lease by his forefathers. Handing over the land documents to the economist in presence of senior district authorities, the Chief Minister said that these records pointed out that Professor Sen’s claim on the land that he owns — 1.38 acres — was correct, and the university authorities’ claim that the land owned by him should be 1.25 acres, was false. The Chief Minister said that she had sourced from the Land Records Department and emphasised that there could be nothing more authentic than those records.
“Why such a person whose feet we want to touch is being disrespected?” Ms. Banerjee said. She told Professor Sen that the manner in which the Visva Bharati University authorities had “addressed him” had pained every person in the State.
The Chief Minister also directed the authorities to provide Z category security to the economist. The 89-year-old economist had said that he was irritated at the attitude of Visva Bharati University authorities in sending him letters asking him to return the land, and raised questions on the mindset of the authorities.
Ms. Banerjee came down heavily on the Visva Bharati University authorities and alleged that attempts were being made to “saffronise” the Central university. “I respect Visva Bharati, but the institute, instead of working for the students, the authorities are threatening and suspending students and trying attempts to saffronise the institution left and right,” she said. The Chief Minister, who is on a three day tour to the districts, said that she will also hold a discussion with the students and residents of Visva Bharati University. The Chief Minister said that she would appeal to the Union Education Minister to look into the “atrocious terrible attitude” of the university authorities.
This is not the first time that the Visva Bharati University authorities have targeted Professor Sen. In 2020, the university administration had named Professor Sen among the list of people who had occupied university’s land. Ms. Banerjee had then too sent a letter supporting the Nobel Laureate. Professor Sen had then described the allegations as “politically motivated”.
