Will Modi retire in Sept? Leaders turning 75 should stop and make way for others, Bhagwat’s statement sparks controversy

NAGPUR: The controversy over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remark that one should retire when they reach old age is heating up. The opposition says Bhagwat's remark is a message to Modi. Modi forced all top BJP leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Jaswant Singh to retire when they turned 75. Let's see if he will apply the same rule to him, said Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Sanjay Raut.

Speaking at a book release function dedicated to late RSS ideologue Moropant Pingle in Nagpur, Bhagwat said, ‘Pingle had once said that if you are honored with a shawl after turning 75, it means that you should stop now, you are old, step aside and let others come in’. Both Modi and Mohan Bhagwat will turn 75 in September. There are reports that the relationship between the RSS and Modi is not very good.

Sanjay Raut had earlier claimed that Modi visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur in March to discuss the possibility of his retirement. However, the BJP responded to this by saying that this was just a claim.

Interestingly, on the same day Mohan Bhagwat made his statement, Amit Shah opened up about his post-retirement desires. While speaking at an event, Amit Shah made his wishes clear. Amit Shah had said that after retirement, he wants to spend time on the Vedas, Upanishads and organic farming. However, he did not specify when he intends to retire.