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"I want to see who is more powerful: the bulldozer or humanity," said Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday she would hold a sit-in in Bolpur in case Visva Bharati University authorities try to 'demolize' Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's ancestral home "Pratichi" in the campus area. on the charge that he was illegally occupying more land than was leased to him. The University, in an eviction order, asked Mr. Sen to vacate by May 6 or within 15 days of issuance of the final order, 0.13 as (5,550 square feet) of the 1.38 acres of land leased that the authorities claim as the famous economist is occupying in an "unauthorized" way.
Ms. Banerjee told the media here: "Amartya Sen is attacked every day. I saw his (VB's) audacity. I will be the first person to go there (Bolpur) if (they try) to raze his house to the ground." I will sit there.
"I want to see who is more powerful: the bulldozer or humanity," he said.
Ms. Banerjee had provided Mr. Sen with State Land and Treasury Department documents on January 30 showing that the entire 1.38 acres of land belonged to the Sens through a transfer made in 2006.
University authorities disputed the documents.
His notice read: "Amartya Kumar Sen and all persons involved are subject to eviction from said premises, if necessary, using necessary force." "It is decided that 13 decimals of land with a dimension of 50 feet x 111 feet be recovered in the northwest corner of the planned facilities," he said.
"Therefore, he (Sen) can only legally occupy 1.25 acres of land, as a tenant (for the remaining term of the lease) on the intended premises," says the notice issued by joint registrar Ashish Mahato.
The ad was also criticized by other political parties, including Congress, which accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of "targeting" Mr Sen for being a harsh critic of Hindutva forces.
Founded in 1921 by Rabindranath Tagore, Visva Bharati was a university until it became a central university by an Act of Parliament in 1951.
It is the only central university in Bengal and the prime minister is its chancellor.
