Recently, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee handed over land-related documents to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen. Bidyut Chakraborty, the VC of Visva-Bharati University had claimed that Sen occupied 13 decibels of land, which is not owned by him. A notice was sent to Sen by Viswa Bharathi that he is occupying some decibel land of the university.

CM Banerjee has now said that she asked the land department to search for records of the said parcel of land. “I didn’t say anything on the matter earlier as I wanted to say the truth. Today, I have the truth with me,” Banerjee said, adding that she handed over all land records, that the land department has found to Dr Sen.

“Now that he is staying here we have given him notice by hand. Earlier too, we have given him notice, but he did not reply. Moreover, we have high regard for him but he has not got a Nobel, there is no Nobel for Economics. What he has got is an award, which is in the memory of Nobel,” Chakraborty had said earlier.

“This controversy is nothing but BJP’s ploy to disrespect the Nobel laureate,” she added. CM Banerjee met Amartya Sen in his residence in Shantiniketan on Monday to give land documents to him stating that the university VC has defamed the Nobel laureate. Banerjee dubbed the accusations made against him as “baseless”. She also announced that the Nobel laureate would be accorded ‘Z+ category’ security in the future.

“Allegations of land grabbing against him (Amartya Sen) are baseless. It is an attempt to malign his reputation. No one has the right to insult him. We won’t tolerate it,” Banerjee said. “I respect Visva-Bharati, but condemn the attempts being made to saffronise the hallowed institution,” she added.

A few days back, a letter was written by the joint registrar of Visva Bharati to Professor Sen, where the official mentioned that he had illegally acquired 0.13 decimal of land on the campus, she added. “I asked the concerned department to investigate the matter, and we found the land record from the government’s land record department. The LR record of 1984 mentions that the West Bengal Government had given 1.38 acres of land to Dr Sen’s family. The same 1.38 acres of land is mentioned in the old record of 1956 as well,” the minister added.

The Visva Bharati officials’ letter to Dr Sen mentions that 0.13 decimal of land is illegally occupied, while the remaining 1.25 decimal remains fine. However, the state government’s record clearly mentions 1.38 acres, which confirms that this is nothing but harassment from the varsity’s end, said Banerjee.

“Whatever Amartya Sen has said is absolutely correct. Even the old records of 1956 mention the same thing, that is, 1.38 acres of land belongs to him. If this is so, then why is Dr Amartya Sen being insulted by Visva Bharati officials? Someone who has imparted education and knowledge to so many. Today, he is being harassed and insulted. I want to tell the Visva Bharati administration that if you can’t recognise Dr Sen’s talent, then at least don’t disrespect him,” the CM said.

She further added that she wants Visva Bharati to run peacefully. “I am not naming anyone, but I only see the varsity administration suspending students and issuing show-cause notices. The thing is, we haven’t yet lost our spine. We will always stand up against those who disrespect our seniors. Such is the level of insult, that some Visva Bharati official has even questioned the authenticity of Amartya Babu’s Nobel Prize. To them, I just wish to say, first go, and find the stolen Nobel Prize of Rabindranath Tagore, before commenting on other matters,” she added.

Read all the Latest Education News here