Kolkata: Former President Pranab Mukherjee has denied giving any interview to the Bengali publication 'E-Bela', a day after he was quoted as saying that that the "country seems to be moving towards Balkanisation due to the climate of polarisation."

A statement issued by the former President's office on Friday said that the statements attributed to Pranab Mukherjee by the Bengali publication are "false and baseless."

"The Former President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has not issued any statement and not given any interview to any publication or correspondent, including that from 'E-Bela'," reads the statement.

(An earlier version of the story had carried excerpts from the E-Bela story. It has been updated).