Political violence important problem, needs analysis: Sen

Economist Amartya Sen today expressed concern at the escalating political violence in West Bengal, saying it was an important problem and its causes needs to be analysed.

"It is an important problem. There is a need for analysing why violence is so much prominent in politics. There is a need to analyse many causes of violence in politics," Sen told newsmen when asked to comment on it.

He said that violence could derail economic growth, but its bigger dangers were loss of life and a terrible sense of loss of peace and agony.The Nobel prize winner, however, said he did not have a "step-by-step drill" or "a solution in the form of slogans" for ending violence.

Asked to comment on the West Bengal government's decision to upgrade the prestigious Presidency College to a university, Sen, who is an alumni of the college, said the move was aimed at expanding opportunities of higher education. The Presidency University should maintain the traditionally high academic standards and the intellectual ambience of Presidency College.