Pranab Mukherjee has resigned as chairman: Rabindra Bharati Society

KOLKATA: The Rabindra Bharati Society today said that Pranab Mukherjee had resigned as its chairman on June 20, much before filing his nomination for the Presidential election.

"Pranab Mukherjee resigned on June 20 and we had accepted it immediately," Society's Secretary, Nabakumar Sil, told PTI here.

He said that it was not an office of profit. The Rabindra Bharati Society's clarification came hours after Presidential candidate P A Sangma filed a complaint with the Election Commission that Mukherjee still held the post of chairman even after filing nomination for the Presidential election.

Sangma alleged that Mukherjee held two offices of profit, one of which is that of the chairman of Kolkata-based Rabindra Bharati Society.

Pointing out that the post of chairman of the body is an honorary one, Sil said, "This is a completely apolitical post. Mukherjee was made the chairman in April 2008 as an educationist and not by virtue of being a politician or a minister."

He also said that the former Union Finance Minister was not paid in lieu of his services.

Founded in 1947, Rabindra Bharati Society organises cultural programmes on dance, drama and music in memory of Rabindranath Tagore.