PG student of Visva-Bharati suspended for supporting Amartya Sen in land dispute

A postgraduate student of rural management programme, has been suspended by the university authorities, allegedly for taking the side of Nobel Laureate economist Dr Amartya Sen in the latter's tiff with the university authorities and making social media posts on this count.

In the suspension order, a copy of which has been accessed by IANS, the officiating proctor of Visva- Bharati has claimed that the student Somnath Sow has been suspended for one semester following breach of discipline.

It has also been mentioned that the suspension was a unanimous decision of the standing students' disciplinary committee, which was approved by the competent authority.

The suspension order is dated July 26 but was issued to the student on Thursday, as per the latter's claims.

The suspended student has told media persons that this is the second time that he has been suspended for taking sides with the Nobel Laureate economist.

"I have been suspended for my third semester and this is a clear ploy to spoil an academic year of mine. An enquiry committee was constituted against me for making social media posts in favour of Dr Amartya Sen, In the previous case, the university authorities had to withdraw the drastic action against me following a court order," Sow told media persons on Thursday.

A legal tussle between the Nobel Laureate economist and the university authorities has been going on in the ongoing dispute over 13 decimals of land occupied by Dr Sen. Recently, a single- judge bench of Calcutta High Court stayed a notice of eviction against the Nobel Laureate economist issued by the university authorities.

The dispute over the 13 decimals of land started when the vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University, Bidyut Chakraborty started accusing Sen of illegally occupying 1.38 acres of land which is in excess of his legal entitlement of 1.25 acres.

The Nobel laureate has refuted the allegation claiming the original 1.25 acres was gifted to his grandfather, Late Kshitimohan Sen who was the second vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University.

Later, Sen's father Late Asutosh Sen, who was also a professor with the same university, purchased the remaining 13 decimals of land, which is at the centre of the dispute.