Amartya Sen, an economist and the Nobel laureate who can be often seen batting for the corrupt leftist governments of India, is allegedly an illegal occupier at Visva Bharati University (VBU) in Santiniketan, West Bengal. The authorities of VBU wrote to the West Bengal government and alleged that there are dozens of illegal occupiers in the university, including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
According to Visva Bharati University estate office, the university recently prepared a list of illegal occupants who have occupied more land in the university than originally allotted to them by the university administration. Amartya Sen has occupied 13 decimals extra land than 125 decimals of land originally allotted to his maternal grandfather Kshitimohan Sen. Currently the house, named Pratichi, is owned by Amartya Sen, and he as well as his family members regularly visit the university home.
Amartya Sen, instead of replying to charges of illegal occupation, said that there is a big gap between the Santiniketan culture and that of University Vice-chancellor, just because the VC challenged his illegal grabbing of the university land. “Having been born and brought up in Santiniketan, I could comment on the big gap between Santiniketan culture and that of the VC, empowered as he is by the central government in Delhi, with its growing control over Bengal. I would prefer to use Indian laws as they exist,” said Sen.
He further said, “We are being told by Visva-Bharati University that its Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty is busy arranging the ‘eviction of unauthorised occupation’ of leased land on the campus and that I have also been named in the ‘list of occupants’, even though Visva Bharati has never complained about any irregularity of landholding to us.”
“The Visva Bharati land on which our house is situated is entirely on a long-term lease, which is nowhere near its expiry. Some additional land was bought by my father as freehold and registered in land records under Mouja Surul.”
Subramanian Swamy, senior BJP leader and former Economics professor at Harvard, demanded inquiry on land grabbing case on university plots. “Amartya Sen, caught by Visva Bharati VC on grabbing University’s land plots, instead of coming clean on it, has made uncharitable remarks against the Vice-Chancellor. Sen even demanded that land allotted to his father should be transferred to him in his name!! Inquiry is needed,” said Swamy.
Previously it was reported that Amartya Sen was even involved in severe corruption during administration of Nalanda University. Times of India journalist, Bharti Jain, had made shocking claims about the management of Nalanda University and the utilization of funds. In her tweet, she had alleged:
“Two more faculties were appointed, honorary, Daman Singh & Amrit Singh. Middle & youngest daughters of Manmohan Singh. They stayed in USA while drawing salary.”
Two more faculties were appointed, honorary, Daman Singh & Amrit Singh. Middle & youngest daughters of Manmohan Singh..They stayed in USA while drawing salary
— Bharti Jain (@bhartijainTOI) April 28, 2019
Further investigation has revealed that the controversy is not only limited to the appointment of family members of ex-PM Manmohan Singh and Amartya Sen but according to an audit report by CAG, several incidents indicate accommodation and perpetuation of benefits to certain individuals.
A proper investigation needs to be carried out against Amartya Sen in the Nalanda University case as well as the Visva Bharati University case. It seems that the scholar has used his esteemed position in the left-liberal intelligentsia for misappropriation of public land public money.