New Delhi, November 3: The Centre has sacked three incumbent members of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) society, and replaced them with four new appointees. Those removed are: economist Nitin Desai, professor Udayan Mishra and former bureaucrat BP Singh.

Among new members appointed to the NMML society is Arnab Goswami, renowned news anchor and editor-in-chief of news channel Republic World. The three other appointees are: BJP MP and president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, chairman of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Ram Bahadur Rai and former foreign secretary S Jaishankar. Modi Government Populating Institutions With Mediocre People: Historians.

The expulsion of Desai, Mishra and Singh comes days after the trio had marked their dissent against the setting-up of "all Prime Ministers library" in the NMML campus. The foundation stone of the project was laid last month.

Dessai and Singh had marked their dissidence on record, claiming that they have "basic problems with the title and the concept of the proposed museum for all Prime Ministers". Such a project, they claimed, would invite States to call for "all-CMs museum" as well.

Apart from announcing the removal of the the above three NMML society members, the Centre on Friday also confirmed the resignation of IAS Pratap Bhanu Mehta, who had quit two years ago ago citing "political pressure".

On the ouster of Desai, Singh and Mishra, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, who is member of the NMML society, said the "the three men who have been replaced were men of integrity and scholarship".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2018 04:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).