Days after Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma termed his appointment during the UPA rule as "illegal", Mahesh Rangarajan has offered to resign as the Director of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML)
At a meeting of the Executive Council yesterday, Rangarajan had offered to resign citing personal reasons after which most of the members in the eight-member Council, chaired by ICCR President Lokesh Chandra, asked him to reconsider his move, sources told PTI today.
"Rangarajan offered to resign citing personal reasons like the need to take care of an elderly member of his family. However, members of the Executive Council praised his role and asked him to reconsider his decision and continue," the sources said.
Rangarajan's move came days after Sharma accused the previous UPA regime of "illegally" appointing him as director of NMML violating an order of the Election Commission (EC) last year and said the government would take appropriate action in the matter.
However, at the Council meeting yesterday, Rangarajan was told that NMML was an autonomous body and his continuation will be decided by the Council. Rangarajan was also given an option where he could be given some time to address his personal issues, if he so desires, the sources said.
However, most of the members, who attended the meeting, remained tightlipped when asked about yesterday's proceedings.
Apart from Rangarajan and Chandra, NMML Executive Council members include eminent journalist and BJP leader M J Akbar (Vice-Chairman), Nitin Desai, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Prasar Bharati Chief A Surya Prakash and Culture Ministry Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor Raghav Chandra. Joint Secretary in Culture Ministry Sreya Guha is also one of the members.
Terming Rangarajan's appointment as Director of NMML as "illegal and unethical", Sharma had said it was done despite the EC writing a letter on May 12, 2014 to the Culture Ministry asking it to defer a proposal on permanent absorption of Rangarajan for the post till the election process was over.
As a result of the change made by UPA last year, Rangarajan's three-year tenure which was to end in August 2014 was changed to a permanent job till retirement age(60) - which means he gets ten more years in office.
He was appointed by UPA as director of NMML in 2011. Previous NMML directors have traditionally served till the age of 60.
The Culture ministry is also planning a major revamp of the NMML. However, rejecting Congress criticism that it was done to dilute the Nehru legacy, Sharma had said, "The Modi government has been respecting all the great people and will continue to do so.
"Nehru's birth centenary was celebrated. Celebrations are taking place for Gandhi ji, Ambedkar. BJP believes that any great man who has contributed to nation building, they are not fiefdom of any one family. They are nation's legacy.
