Academics appeal against student’s suspension

Over 250 academics have written to President Droupadi Murmu protesting a Visva-Bharati student’s suspension over a social media post supporting Amartya Sen in the Nobel laureate’s land row with the varsity. Murmu is also the visitor of the central varsity. The academics have appealed to Murmu to protect the academic career of Somnath Sow, a Dalit PG student. The letter says Sow was suspended without any formal complaint, and the Visva-Bharati authorities did not issue a chargesheet. Sow appeared before a “kangaroo court” on March 24, requesting access to the documents but wasn’t provided any.” Four months later, he received a suspension letter on July 26 from the proctor for the third semester. The loss of the third semester means in effect loss of one academic year,” the letter states.