The Smriti Irani-led Human Resource Development Ministry on Monday appointed Baldev Sharma, former editor of RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya, as chairman of National Book Trust.

The appointment comes after incumbent A Sethumadhavan resigned with six months left for his tenure to end, following “hints” from the government that it wants to bring in “somebody else”.

The NBT is an autonomous body under the HRD Ministry.

“I resigned a couple of days back and my resignation was accepted today. I resigned because I got a clear hint that the government wants to bring in somebody else and someone of my nature felt I shouldn’t carry on now,” noted Malayalam writer Sethumadhavan told The Indian Express.

When asked if he was under pressure from the ministry to resign, Sethumadhavan said he was “not sure what to call it” but he did get clear hints. He, however, said there was no interference from the ministry in the NBT’s functioning “so far”.

Officials, meanwhile, claim Sethumadhavan resigned of his own accord.

According to ministry officials, Sharma’s appointment was simultaneously cleared on Monday and has already been received by the NBT.

Sharma, who was replaced as Panchajanya editor in 2013, reportedly had a pro-Narendra Modi when he was editor.

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