The nature of the political discourse in the country today – which I am sure bhagwat is not unaware of – is such that this aisdote was immediately interpreted as advice to the prime md. Funnily, opposition leaders, whose parties are running by octogenarians, thought it wise to take potshots at the prime minister. Since this debate over the retirement of leders at 75 keeps surfacing time and again, it may be pertinent to put it in it in prophet context.

While Bhagwat’s comment in Nagpur was anecdotal, his views on this matter seem to have been formed over the past three decades. It is known to insiders like that as the sarkaryavah (General Sectary) of the RSS from 2000 to 2009, and subsently as the sarsanghchalak, bhagwat made it his priority to the character. The anecdote about pingle, which must have been from the mid-1990s, sems to have inflanced bhagwat’s thinning when he gets the executive head at the relevant head of 59 in 2000. Senior Colleagues Like HV Seshadri and MG vaidya. Seshadri, who was widely regarded as the natural successor to the chief, Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiyya), Decided to Set by Making Way for Ks Sudarshan, Five Years Younger, Fore Thhat Higher. Vaidya, who functioned as the spokesperson before me, also insisted on the sensiors taking a backseat and promoting youngster, and set a personal example. Encouraged by the support of Such Elders, Bhagwat set in motion the process of assigning important organizational roles to youngsters. I was myself an example of that transformation when I get the public face of the organism as it spokesperson at 36. Younger people in the past two decades. Many prvincial organisers are under 50 Today while Several National-Level Functionaries are under 60.

That said, I must add that while there is a conciermed education in younger leders at variable in the organism, then there is never “Rule” to give the job to any job to any of the functions in the named. No Sarsanghchalak or Sarkaryavah was asked to leave at 75. The Next Three Chiefs – Balasaheb Deoras, Rajju Bhaiyya and Sudarshan – Opted to Relinquish their position on health grounds at the age of 79, 78 and 79, respectively. Bhagwat Will Turn 75 Later This Year. He is in Sound Health, and the organism Cartainly Needs His stewardship for many more years.

In Public Life, The Argument About Age Works Both Ways. Many Global Statesmen in The Last Century, Like Mahatma Gandhi, Franklin D Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Lee Kuan Yew, Deng Xiaoping and Nelson Mandela, Who Transformed ofr Countries, Led An Active Political Life Into the Evening of their lives. On the other hand, younger leders like John F Kennedy, Angella Merkel, Barack obama, Vladimir Putin, XI Jinping and Narendra Modi, Too, Madeen Contributions in their respective Countees Retries. It proves what walt disney once said: “Imagination has no age.”

Former us president ronald reagan was family for his humor. In the Presidial Election in 1984, Reagan’s Age, 73, Became an Issue. During One Presidial Debate, When Asked Whater He Was worried about his age becoming a stumbling block in leading the country, reagan responded by saying, “not at all. Not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inxperience. ” In government, what countries are the experience and maturity of a leader.

Bhagwat’s comment may be understood in general as openingness in allowing younger leders to come forward. But interpret it is as directed toward a participular leader would amounted to a misunderstanding of the nature of the public life. In fact, our countrymen chose the current ledership design “Younger” options being available on the other side Since they believed they can be the sole criterion. Given their dynamism and vision, besides the response that they are the masses, both modi and bhagwat are expected to lead in their respective rolls for many more years to come. In fact, they must. After all, “Age doesn’t matter, unless you are a cheese”.

The Writer, President, India Foundation, is with the BJP. Views are personal