RSS chief's 'retire at 75' call sparks Modi exit buzz

NT Bureau 

New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comment about the practice of stepping aside at the age of 75 has sparked questions from the Opposition about whether he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also step down from their posts. Bhagwat and Modi will turn 75 in September.

The RSS is the mentor organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. During an event in Nagpur on Wednesday, RSS chief Bhagwat mentioned Sangh ideologue late Moropant Pingley's statement about stepping aside after 75 years of age.

Bhagwat recounted that when Pingle was asked to address the event, he said: "People start laughing at me when I stand...Because I feel that people are not taking me seriously...you felicitated me on turning 75, but I know what it means. When you are honoured with a shawl on turning 75, it means that now you have grown old, now just move aside, let us do it.’”

Following Bhagwat’s comment, the Congress’ communications chief Jairam Ramesh said on Friday that Modi had been reminded by Bhagwat that he will turn 75 in September. The Congress took a jibe at Modi, saying what kind of a homecoming is this for the PM that upon returning from abroad he was reminded by the Sarsanghchalak that he will turn 75 this year.

Ramesh added: “But the prime minister could also tell the RSS chief that he too will turn 75 on Septem- ber 11, 2025! One arrow, two targets!” Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bala-saheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi told ANI that it was a “clear message” that was “directed at the person who is going to celebrate his 75th birthday in September...” Chaturvedi added: “Now, RSS is reminding BJP after 11 years about the promises it made.

Internal conflicts are now public... Nobody knows the fallout of this conflict...” The Congress’ publicity chief Pawan Khera said that Bhagwat’s message was “good news” as it meant that the RSS chief and Modi would retire in September. “PM Modi forced leaders like LK Advani, Murli Mano- har Joshi, and Jaswant Singh to retire after they turned 75.

Let’s see if he applies the same rule to himself now,” Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said. In the past as well, the BJP has rejected speculation that Modi will step down as the prime minister.

In August 2024, party leader Amit Shah said that Modi will be the prime minister if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance wins the 2029 Lok Sabh a polls.(Agencies)