Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat’s recent suggestion that leaders should retire after 75 has resulted in opposition leaders wondering if it was a hint directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turns 75 this September.
Incidentally RSS chief Bhagwat will also turn 75 this year. His remarks have also led to the buzz whether it was also an indication that the BJP’s powerful ideological mentor was considering a change of guard.
“When you turn 75, it means you should stop now and make way for others,” Bhagwat was quoted as saying at a book release event dedicated to late RSS ideologue Moropant Pingle in Nagpur. Speaking after releasing the book, ‘Moropant Pinglay: The Architect of Hindu Resurgence,’ Bhagwat recalled that Pingle once said, “If you are honoured with a shawl after turning 75, it means that you should stop now, you are old, step aside and let others come in.”
Taking a jibe at PM Modi, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote in Hindi on ‘X’: “Poor award-winning Prime Minister! What a homecoming-reminded by RSS chief upon return that he will turn 75 on September 17, 2025.
“But the Prime Minister could also tell the RSS chief that-he (Bhagwat) too will turn 75 on September 11, 2025!”
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that “PM Modi forced leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Jaswant Singh to retire after they turned 75. Let us see if he applies the same rule to himself now”.
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi added saying that preaching without practising was dangerous and unprincipled. His party colleague Pawan Khera wrote “ Now both (PM Modi and Bhagwat) pick up the bag and do ‘margdarshan’ for each other”. The ‘Margdarshak Mandal’ is a body formed by the BJP in August 2014 with leaders like former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, PM Modi, and veterans Advani and Joshi as members.
PM Modi returned to India on Thursday after concluding his five-nation tour that included Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia.
He also attended the 17th BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
