The current curiosity among commoners is driven by quite different reasons.Īn alumnus from Patha Bhaban, the school at Santiniketan, 89-year-old Sen has been accused by Visva-Bharati of illegally occupying 13 decimals of the 1.38 acres covered by the property. Sen became a celebrity after receiving the Nobel prize for economics in 1998 and the Bharat Ratna the following year. “‘Pratichi’ is attracting visitors ever since the land dispute made headlines,” quipped Ramen Das, the e-rickshaw driver who had ferried tourists from a local hotel. With only a rusted wire fence serving as the boundary, virtually every inch of the land is visible to outsiders. Some tourists had already gathered outside the 3-ft tall iron gate to take selfies with ‘Pratichi’, the house built on leasehold land by Sen’s father in the 1940s. “She is one of two employees who look after the house when Prof Sen is in America,” the policeman said. The only soul visible was a middle-aged woman sitting on the open porch in a pale sari. The house, around 40m away from the mango tree, seemed to be asking for some repairs and a coat of paint. But you can’t cross the gate,” the policeman said, politely asking this correspondent to backtrack. You may see the house from the main road and even take photos. Santiniketan police station has set up this camp to ensure that. “Sir, nobody can step on this land in the absence of Prof Amartya Sen.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |