Mita Mukherjee

Visva-Bharati University has issued a show-cause notice to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen asking him to explain why an eviction notice should not be served to him in connection with the allegation brought against him that he is occupying 13 decimals of land in Santiniketan without authorisation.

In the notice, the university has asked the Sen to appear or authorise a person to appear on his behalf before the varsity estate officer for a hearing on March 29.

The two-page notice served to the economist carrying the signature of the university estate officer Ashok Mahato reads: “….. I call upon you to appear before me in person or through a duly authorised representative capable to answer all material questions connected with the matter, along with the evidence which you intend to produce in support of the cause shown, on 29th March, at 4.45 p.m, in the Conference Hall of Central Admin Building, Visva-Bharati, for a personal hearing. In case you or your authorised representative fail to appear on the said date and time , the case may be decided ex-parte.”

Sen has to answer the show-cause notice on or before March 24.

During a visit to the economist’s home in Santiniketan, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had handed over relevant documents to Sen confirming that the plot leased to his father Asutosh Sen was 1.38 acres and not 1.25 acres as claimed by the Visva-Bharati.

According to many teachers, students and local residents, there was no need to serve the notice to Sen as the state government had already confirmed that his family was not occupying unauthorised land. They described the notice as an attempt to “tarnish the image” of the Nobel laureate who has been a critic of the Narendra Modi government. The move is also aimed to entangle him in a legal battle.

Visva-Bharati in January had sent three letters to Sen asking him to hand over the 13 decimals of the land that the university claimed that he was occupying without authorization in addition to the 1.25 acres which had been leased to his family.

Sen had denied the unauthorised occupation of any additional land.