RSS chief’s 75-year anecdote sparks retirement debate amid PM Modi’s upcoming milestone

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat’s recent anecdote about a former leader stepping aside at age 75 has sparked political debate, especially given that both he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to turn 75 in September.

However, the BJP and RSS insiders have dismissed any suggestion that the remarks were intended as a signal for retirement.

At the launch of the biography Moropant Pingale: The Architect of Hindu Resurgence in Nagpur on Wednesday, Bhagwat shared a story about a meeting in Vrindavan where RSS leader Moropant Pingale was felicitated on turning 75. Bhagwat recounted how Pingale, after being honored with a shawl, joked about how people laughed even before he said anything and quipped that "when I die, people will first throw a stone to check if I am really dead."

Pingale then remarked, “You gave me a shawl at 75, but I know what that means. When someone is felicitated at 75, it means: now your time is up, now step aside and let us do the work.” Bhagwat added that while the gesture was one of respect, Pingale ensured he stayed detached from the honor.

These remarks led Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut to draw parallels with the current political leadership. “First Bhagwat ji and now Modi ji… both are nearing 75. In the RSS, 75 is the retirement age. Then why not in politics? The country will benefit from such decisions,” he said.

The BJP, however, swiftly dismissed such speculation. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated, “There is no rule in the BJP about retirement at 75. Sanjay Raut is no one to decide how long the Prime Minister should serve — the people of the country will decide that.”

Senior RSS sources also downplayed the significance of Bhagwat’s anecdote, telling The Indian Express that it was merely a reflection on Pingale’s humility and not a veiled message about age-based retirement. “There are no plans for the Sarsanghchalak’s retirement, nor should this be seen as any kind of message to the Prime Minister,” a functionary said.

The BJP has in the past informally used 75 as a retirement benchmark, notably when leaders like L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were moved to the 'Margdarshak Mandal' in 2014.

However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has previously clarified that there is no such age limit in the party’s rules, and that Modi will continue as Prime Minister even after turning 75.