Visva-Bharati on Friday demolished a private canteen running in a hostel for the past three decades following instructions from governor Keshari Nath Tripathi who cited complaints about drinking and drug addiction.
In a letter sent as the rector, Tripathi said he had received the complaints from a group of Santiniketan residents alleging “antisocial activities” at the canteen. The owner of the canteen, Shyamal Acharya, termed the claims “false”.
Ashok Mahato, the estate officer of Visva-Bharati, said: “We received specific complaint about illegal and antisocial activities at the unauthorised canteen. So we demolished it,” said.
Sources said the letter from the governor came to vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty around three months ago, following which he ordered action against the illegal structure and other encroachments on the campus.
Anirban Sarkar, the public relations officer of Visva-Bharati, said: “The canteen was demolished as governor was concerned. However, our vice chancellor has taken an initiative to clean up encroachments.”
On Friday morning, a large team of Visva-Bharati estate office and security department went to Nanda Sadan hostel premises and asked the owner of the private canteen Shyamal Acharya to vacate. As soon as owner Acharya vacated the canteen, varsity officials had it demolished with a pay-loader.
“It (the claim about illegal activities) is a false allegation and at least the students know about it. I have been running the canteen for the past three decades and there has been no complaint from the students or security personnel of Visva-Bharati. The officials demolished my canteen without any prior notice. I am unemployed now,” Acharya said.
Around 70 students reside in the Nanda Sadan boys’ hostel. Most are students of Kala Bhavana and Siksha Bhavana.
A section of the students spoke for the canteen owner. “We get only lunch and dinner from the varsity authorities. We depended on the canteen for breakfast and snacks. We don’t know what illegal activities went on at the canteen,” said Sudip Das, a Kala Bhavana student.
