Arnab Goswami, S Jaishankar among 4 new members in NMML; M J Akbar stays
New Delhi, Nov 3 : The Centre has appointed journalist Arnab Goswami, former Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and IGNCA chairman Ram Bahadur Rai as members of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society, replacing four members who had opposed the move to build a museum for all prime ministers at the Teen Murti Estate.
Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, who resigned from the Cabinet on October 17 in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment levelled by several women journalists, however, continues to be the vice chairman of the NMML executive council.
According to a notification on October 29, the culture ministry replaced economist Nitin Desai, professor Udayan Mishra and former bureaucrat BP Singh. Another member Pratap Bhanu Mehta had resigned in 2016 over the appointment of Shakti Sinha as NMML director.
The newly appointed members will serve until April 25, 2020, the order said.
Pratap Bhanu Mehta, BP Singh and Udayan Mishra, who have been replaced, had openly spoken against the decision to set up the museum for PMs at the complex, sources said.
"Their tenures have not ended. They have been replaced," NMML director Shakti Sinha told PTI on the development.
Asked about the reason behind the appointments, Sinha said they will help meet the goal to develop NMML into a centre of research as envisioned by the present government
"This is part of a bigger plan to make NMML a centre of research. Ram Bahadur Rai has been commenting on the Indian political scene for the last 50 years. He personally knew some of the PMs," Sinha said
"Jaishankar will bring us an insight into how decisions are made at the top and Goswami, as a senior journalist and a scholar in his earlier days, will also contribute immensely to our plans of creating a database of research and information on Indian political history," said Sinha.
Sahasrabuddhe, who is president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, took to Twitter to thank the prime minister and hit out at those opposing the proposed museum for all prime ministers.
"It's an honour to be on the board of Nehru Memorial Museum n Library!Many thanks PM @narendramodi ji, @dr_maheshsharma ji!Expectedly,those talking about Inclusive Democracy are opposing conversion of NMML into all-PM Museum with Pt Nehru Memorial intact!", tweeted Sahasrabuddhe.
Ram Bahadur Rai is the chairman of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
The 'bhoomi poojan' (foundation stone laying ceremony) for the museum was conducted by Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on October 15 this year.
The NMML is also embroiled in a controversy over an eviction notice sent in September by the Directorate of Estates of the Union Ministry of Urban Development to the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund.
Established in 1964, the Fund has been located at Teen Murti, once the residence of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, since 1967.
On November 1, however, the Delhi High Court stayed the eviction notice.
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KSRTC to run 1000 special services to clear Christmas rush
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will operate 1000 additional special services in view of the Christmas festival.
In addition to the existing schedule, the special services will run on 19.12.2025, 20.12.2025 and 24.12.2025. Further, special buses will be operated from various places of intra & Interstate places to Bengaluru on 26.12.2025 & 28.12.2025.
Special buses will be exclusively operated from Bengaluru Kempegowda Bus Station to Dharmastala, Kukkesubramanya, Shivamogga, Hassan, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Shringeri, Horanadu, Davangere, Hubbali, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Koppala, Yadgir, Bidar, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and other places.
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Special buses from Mysuru Road Bus Station will be exclusively operated towards Mysuru, Hunsur, Piriyapatna, Virajpet, Kushalanagar, Madikeri.
The corporation has also announced a discount of 5 per cent on the fare if four or more passengers book tickets under a single reservation. A discount of 10 per cent will be extended on return journey tickets if onward and return tickets are booked simultaneously.
In addition to the above, special buses will be operated from all Taluk/District Bus Stands in the jurisdiction of KSRTC based on the traffic needs.
