'Better off without your blessing': Visva-Bharati University to Mamata Banerjee amid Amartya Sen land row

A major political storm is brewing in West Bengal with the Visva-Bharati University taking on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The varsity's spokesperson in a recent statement reportedly said that Visva-Bharati is a central university, and is "better off" without Mamata's blessings because it is used to "margdarshan" (guidance) of the Prime Minister.

CM Mamata had recently criticised university authorities for accusing Nobel laureate Amartya Sen of occupying 0.13 acres of its land illegally. She also gave Sen some land documents, saying that no one can question him in the future.

"Allegations of land grabbing against him (Amartya Sen) are baseless. It is an attempt to tarnish his reputation. No one has the right to insult him. We won't tolerate it," Banerjee said as the economist sat beside her at his home.

The CM said her government would decide on the next course of legal action once she is back in Kolkata.

(With PTI inputs)

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