A group of intellectuals and local residents organised a rally on Friday, May 6, in Visva-Bharati University town in Bengal to protest against the eviction notice issued to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen by the institution. The demonstration also included the singing of songs by Rabindra Nath Tagore, recitation of Gurudev's protest poems, and acting of sections from his dramas, which were relevant to the occasion.
The rally by the fledgling 'Samajik Maryada Raksha Committee' (Social Dignity Protection Committee) was participated by intellectuals both from Santiniketan and Kolkata and locals in protest against the central university's move. In this regard, the rallyists gathered in the morning near 'Siksha Bhavan' on the Visva-Bharati campus, formed a human chain outside Sen's residence 'Pratichi' as a mark of support to the famed economist and walked in a procession singing Tagore's songs. Parts of selected plays were enacted later.
Literateur Swapan Kumar Ghosh, an ashramite and a former teacher of Visva-Bharati led the rally, in which participated well-known doctor and social activist Arindam Biswas from Kolkata also took part. Speaking on this, Biswas said, "We are protesting against the continuous insults and insinuations being heaped on Prof Amartya Sen and threats of physical attack being issued to him by Visva Barati authorities to silence him. We are distressed and apprehensive over this. We have taken to the streets today in abhorrence of such tactics. We are worried."
"The main intention is to silence Prof Sen so that he does not speak out. Even the people of the nearby villages have participated in the rally held in support of an academician. Today's protest is a vocal expression of social protest," he added. Although there was no report of any disturbance from anywhere during the rally.
Lookback at what happened
The central university issued an eviction notice to the economist on April 19 accusing him of "illegally occupying" 0.13 acres of land on the campus. It asked him to vacate the land which is part of the 1.38 acres of land of 'Pratichi' within May 6. However, the Calcutta High Court put an interim stay against the order and the next day for hearing in the case at a court in Birbhum district was fixed on May 15.
'Pratichi' was built on the land leased out for 99 years to Sen's father, Ashutosh Sen by the then Visva Bharati general secretary, Rathindranath Tagore in October 1943, the Nobel laureate told the court. Rabindranath Tagore was the son of Rabindranath Tagore, the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize for literature.
On Thursday the university requested the local district administration to ensure that there is no "breach of peace" on the campus, as stated in a report by PTI.
