Amartya Sen Eviction Notice: Visva-Bharati Asks Nobel Laureate To Appear On Mar 29 And Show Land Papers

Amartya Sen was also asked by the university to show cause as to why an eviction order will not be issued against him for not vacating the 13-decimal plot he is allegedly occupying illegally.

Amartya Sen has been asked by Visva-Bharati university to show papers in support of his claim that the land he possesses in Santiniketan premises is not illegal. ( Image Source :PTI File Photo )

New Delhi: Visva Bharati University has asked noted economist Amartya Sen to appear before the university official amid eviction notice sent to the Nobel laureate over an alleged unauthorised plot inside the Santiniketan premises, reported news agency PTI.  

He was also asked by the university to show cause as to why an eviction order will not be issued against him for not vacating the 13-decimal plot he is allegedly occupying illegally.

Sen was asked to reply to the notice by March 24 and appear before Ashok Mahato the Joint Registrar and Estate Officer of the central university, personally or through a representative by March 29 along with evidence in support of Sen's assertion that he is not occupying any plot unauthorisedly.

"In case you and your authorised representative fail to appear on the said date, the case may be decided ex-parte," the notice said.

The university has been claiming that Sen owns 1.38 acres of land on the Santiniketan campus, which is in excess of his legal entitlement of 1.25 acres.

He earlier asserted that most of the land he is holding in the Santiniketan campus was purchased by his father from the market while some other plots were taken on lease. 

“I hereby call upon you to show cause on or before March 24, 2023, why an order of eviction should not be made against you...,” the estate officer said in the notice dated March 17, a copy of which was made available to the media on Sunday, reported the news agency. 

"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 cause shown, on March 29, 2023, at 4:45 pm for a personal hearing," Mahato said in the university's latest communication.

The university had in two past months sent three other missives to him reiterating that he has been occupying public premises illegally.

According to Visva-Bharati spokesperson Mahua Banerjee, Sen neither responded to any of the earlier letters sent by the university nor took any follow-up action, prompting it to send this notice.

“We have no problem if he deputes someone, but we hope he will be responding to the notice this time," she said.

The spokesperson said that Sen’s issue is not being treated separately from other such land occupation cases and steps are being initiated to free all illegally occupied plots.

Allegations have been raised by some quarters that the university's action might be politically motivated as Sen has been critical of many policies of the current Central government.