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Modi Govt replaces intellectuals with Arnab Goswami, BJP MP and two others at Nehru Memorial

Published

8 years ago

November 4, 2018

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Prime Minister Narendra Modi has nominated the news anchor Arnab Goswami, known for hot-headed, noisy ‘debates’ along with a BJP MP, a former pro-BJP/RSS journalist and a former diplomat as members to the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) Society.

The NMML society is responsible for taking decisions pertaining to the memorial.

The new appointees replace eminent personalities like academic Pratap Bhanu Mehta, economist Nitin Desai, Professor Udayan Mishra and former bureaucrat BP Singh. Bhanu Pratap Mehta, had submitted his resignation in 2016, citing ‘political pressure’, and protesting against the appointment of former Bureaucrat Shakti Sinha’s as NMML’s director.

The government notification comes days after the Centre laid the foundation stone for a museum for all Prime Ministers in the Teen Murti estate on 15 October, a move about which former PM Manmohan Singh had expressed strong reservations in a letter written to PM Modi on 24 August. Singh had expressed concern over the government changing the ‘nature and character’ of the complex and said it should remain ‘undisturbed’.

The four who have been appointed as members are Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami, former foreign secretary S Jaishankar, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and chairman of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Ram Bahadur Rai.

According to an order issued by the Union Ministry of Culture “with the approval” of the prime minister, Mehta’s resignation from the NMML Society was accepted and his spot on the board has gone to Goswami. Goswami, former editor-in-chief of Times Now and ET Now, co-founded Republic TV with businessman-politician Rajeev Chandrashekhar.

Desai has been replaced by former journalist and author Ram Bahadur Rai, who was in 2016 also appointed by the Modi government to head the 20-member board of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts.

Speaking to The Quint, economist Nitin Desai, who has been ousted from the NMML society said, “It is within their right to induct whoever they wish, and they have done that, it’s okay. A lot depends on how the NMML society now functions, let’s see. I hope NMML retains its standing as an academic institution which is respected by scholars, students and historians.”

Mehta and Desai had opposed the Centre’s move to set up a Museum for Prime Ministers within the Teen Murti premises just a few months ago. Teen Murti is closely linked with the legacy of the first Prime Minister and Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

Another member, Dr BP Singh, has been replaced by career diplomat and former foreign secretary of India, S Jaishankar, who served as the Indian ambassador to the US, China and the Czech Republic, and high commissioner to Singapore. A key player during the negotiations of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement, Jaishankar joined the Tata group on his retirement.

The fourth person to find a place on the reconstituted NMML board is BJP national vice-president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe. He heads the party’s think tank, Public Policy Research Centre, and was earlier appointed president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

MJ Akbar Remains the Vice-Chairman

The NMML Society meets once a year and the head of the NMML reports to the Executive Council constituted by the society. Former Union minister MJ Akbar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by more than a dozen women journalists in the #MeToo storm, remains the vice chairman of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library executive council, pointed out a report in The Quint.

Goswami’s choice particularly appeared to be intended to make a point and send out a message. Always unduly aggressive in the noisy prime time programmes he anchors, he came across as a submissive and tame journalist when PM Modi favoured him with an interview. He is known to toe the Modi government’s line and directs all ‘hard’ questions to opposition.

If the intention was to send out a message, it hit home. Reacting to the development, Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha described Goswami as a “religious bigot, who regularly spews hatred, spreads fake news and polarises society”. Accusing Goswami of being a BJP-RSS “mole masquerading as a TV anchor”, Jha tweeted that he would be sacked as soon as Congress wins the 2019 polls.

Many senior journalists also said that Goswami’s appointment was not a good idea as the NMML is a place for scholars, and not just for camp-followers.

It was apparent that the differences voiced by some NMML members over the issue of the Museum for Prime Ministers had a bearing on the recent changes.

NMML head Shakti Sinha told News18, “There have been dissenters to the idea of a museum for all PMs. The government wanted people who could contribute towards the new museum. They wanted to have people with expertise in understanding the contemporary Indian politics, either as participants in Indian politics or as writers and observers. That is why the four have been appointed.”

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New UP Congress chief Aradhana Mishra backs stronger alliance with SP

Newly appointed UP Congress chief Aradhana Mishra said the party would strengthen its alliance with the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.

Published

11 hours ago

October 3, 2026

APNLive Desk

Newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress president Aradhana Mishra, also known as Mona, has said the party will take its alliance with the Samajwadi Party forward with full strength ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

Mishra, the daughter of Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, has been given the responsibility of leading the party’s state unit as Congress prepares for the assembly polls due in around six months, according to the report.

Speaking about Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Mishra described the SP as a strong partner of the Congress in the INDIA bloc.

“The Samajwadi Party is a partner of ours in the INDIA bloc, and a strong one at that,” she said, while praising the way Akhilesh Yadav has strengthened his party.

Aradhana Mishra backs Congress-SP alliance

Mishra referred to the performance of the INDIA bloc in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh while discussing the alliance’s prospects for the next assembly election.

The INDIA bloc won 43 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 election, according to the report.

Mishra said the alliance had stopped the BJP’s advance in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and expressed confidence that the partnership would produce results in the 2027 Assembly election.

“We will take this alliance forward with full strength,” she said.

The new state Congress chief will also have to advance seat-sharing discussions with the Samajwadi Party. The report said Congress wants a larger share of seats, while the SP has not indicated a willingness to give ground, arguing that it is in a stronger position in the state.

Congress announces new UP team

The leadership change is part of a wider organisational reshuffle by the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.

Along with appointing Mishra as state Congress president, the party named Rajya Sabha MP Imran Masood as working president. Chaudhary Virendra Singh was appointed Leader of the Congress Legislature Party.

Devinder Nishad and Alok Prasad were also appointed senior vice presidents of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

The new appointments bring different social groups into prominent positions in the state organisation. Mishra is a Brahmin, Masood is a Muslim and Rajendra Pal Gautam, the Congress’ AICC in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, is a Dalit, the report said.

Mishra, however, said the Congress does not practise caste or religion-based politics.

She said the party wanted to strengthen the country, protect the Constitution and build a strong alternative ahead of the 2027 election.

Mishra’s challenge ahead of 2027 polls

As the new Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, Mishra will be responsible for strengthening the party’s organisation in the state while also taking forward its alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

The Congress and SP are part of the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh. With seat-sharing discussions ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, Mishra’s comments indicate that the Congress intends to continue working with the Samajwadi Party.

The appointment of Mishra comes alongside other organisational changes aimed at preparing the party for the upcoming assembly election.

India News

BJP may drop over 100 UP MLAs, focus shifts to voters and fix internal rifts

The BJP is considering major changes to its Uttar Pradesh candidates, with more than 100 sitting MLAs potentially facing ticket cuts as the party works to address internal rifts and voter concerns.

Published

2 days ago

October 1, 2026

APNLive Desk

The BJP is preparing a major organisational and electoral strategy in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, with the party considering dropping more than 100 sitting MLAs from its candidate list.

The proposed changes are part of a broader effort to address internal differences within the party, strengthen its organisation and reconnect with voters across the state.

BJP’s plan for Uttar Pradesh

The party’s strategy involves reviewing the performance and prospects of its sitting legislators before deciding on candidates for the next Assembly election. More than 100 MLAs could potentially be denied tickets as part of the exercise.

The focus is also on resolving internal rifts and improving coordination within the organisation. The BJP is looking to address issues that emerged during the 2024 Lok Sabha election and strengthen its connect with voters.

The party’s review comes as it prepares for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, where it will seek to strengthen its position across the state.

Focus on internal differences and voters

Along with changes to its pool of candidates, the BJP is working on repairing differences within the organisation.

The party’s strategy places emphasis on reconnecting with voters and understanding issues at the ground level. Leaders and workers are expected to focus on strengthening the party’s presence among voters as preparations for the Assembly election continue.

The approach reflects the BJP’s effort to draw lessons from its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and make organisational changes ahead of the next major electoral contest in Uttar Pradesh.

Candidate changes under consideration

The possibility of dropping over 100 sitting MLAs would represent a significant change in the BJP’s candidate strategy in the state. However, the final decision on individual tickets will depend on the party’s assessment and the selection process.

The BJP is therefore combining a review of its sitting legislators with efforts to resolve internal differences and rebuild its connection with voters as it prepares for the 2027 polls.

India News

PM Modi speaks to Trump, reviews India-US trade and defence ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with US President Donald Trump and reviewed India-US bilateral cooperation, including trade and defence.

Published

3 days ago

September 30, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday and reviewed key areas of India-US bilateral cooperation, including trade and defence.

The conversation came as the two countries continue discussions on strengthening their broader partnership, with economic and strategic issues forming an important part of the engagement.

Modi, Trump discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation

During the phone conversation, Modi and Trump reviewed cooperation between India and the United States across several areas.

Trade and defence were among the key subjects discussed by the two leaders. Their conversation also covered energy and emerging technologies, reflecting the broad scope of the India-US partnership.

The two leaders also discussed issues linked to regional and global peace and security.

Had a productive conversation with President Trump. We reviewed our bilateral cooperation in trade, defence, energy, critical technologies and other areas. We agreed to maintain close engagement to take our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership forward.

We also exchanged…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 30, 2026

India-US trade talks continue

The conversation took place amid ongoing trade discussions between India and the United States.

India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is visiting the US from September 29 to October 5 for discussions related to an interim trade agreement and the possibility of a broader bilateral trade deal.

The talks are aimed at advancing trade engagement between the two countries as officials work towards an agreement that is described as balanced and mutually beneficial.

Defence and strategic cooperation

Defence cooperation was another area reviewed by Modi and Trump during their conversation.

India and the US have developed broader cooperation across defence and strategic sectors, and the latest discussion included the two countries’ continuing engagement in this area.

Energy and emerging technologies were also part of the leaders’ discussion, underlining the range of issues covered during the phone call.

Modi-Trump discuss regional and global issues

Beyond bilateral matters, Modi and Trump also discussed regional and global peace and security.

The conversation comes as India and the US continue to engage on issues extending beyond their bilateral relationship.

The latest phone call is part of the continuing engagement between the two leaders on strengthening cooperation across trade, defence and other areas of mutual interest.