Visva-Bharati on Thursday sent another letter to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, asking the economist to suggest a suitable date and time for a joint survey of the plot of his ancestral home Pratichi.
The letter dated February 9, 2023, and issued by the varsity’s Estate Office, is the third to Sen in the past 16 days since the varsity sent its first letter to the Nobel laureate accusing him of “unauthorised occupation” of 13-decimal of land.
In two earlier letters, dated January 24 and 27, respectively, the varsity asked Sen — in whose name the land was mutated in 2006 — to “hand over” the 13-decimal of land at the earliest.
“With reference to our earlier letters, this is to inform you that the University wants to survey/demarcate jointly the land mutated in your favour for the residual period of lease (as per lease deed executed on 27-10-1943) vide resolution no 8 dated 03-09-2006 of the Executive Council of Visva-Bharati and communicated to you on 31-10-2006......In view of the above, you are requested to kindly let us know the suitable date and time (at least for two days) as per your convenience for joint survey/demarcation of the property as stated above,” the letter delivered to Sen on Thursday reads.
Chief minister Mamata met Sen at Pratichi on January 30 and handed over the land-related documents to the economist corroborating his assertion that he was the rightful lessee of 1.38 acres of land.
“Land is the subject of the state government and its dedicated department determines the land right and ownership. The chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is the head of the state government, physically came and handed over land documents to professor Sen where it is clear that the entire 1.38 acres of land was in the name of Ashutosh Sen, his father, on a long-term lease....,” said a senior varsity professor.
According to land records available with the state government, Ashutosh Sen was given 1.38 acres of land on a long-term lease by Visva-Bharati. However, the central university now contends that only 125 decimals, and not 138 decimals, were leased out to the Sen family.
A source in the state government said the chief minister’s office in Calcutta had been communicated about the latest letter issued by the varsity to Sen.
“We are waiting for instructions,” said an official.
In a press release issued on Thursday evening, Visva-Bharati criticised Mamata’s visit to Sen’s house and questioned her for not ordering a survey on the disputed land.
