New Delhi [India], July 11 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday alleged a possible rift between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after the latter's chief Mohan Bhagwat remarked on stepping aside at the age of 75 to allow for fresh leadership, saying that the comments are a veiled message to PM Modi, who will turn 75 later this year.
"It is a clear message and it is clearly directed at the person who is going to celebrate his 75th birthday in September... Whatever is going on between the RSS and the BJP is clearly visible from their statements. When the BJP formed a government in 2014, they put their leaders above the age of 75 years in the 'margdarshak mandali'. Now, RSS is reminding the BJP after 11 years about the promises it made. Internal conflicts are now public... Nobody knows the fallout of this conflict," Chaturvedi told ANI.
The remarks followed comments reportedly made in Nagpur at an event in which the RSS chief said that turning 75 means one should stop and make way for others.
The remark has prompted opposition politicians to question its implications for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, like Bhagwat, turns 75 this September.
Earlier in the day, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks concerning leaders stepping aside at the age of 75 to allow for fresh leadership.
In a post on X, Ramesh, who is the General Secretary in charge of Communications for Congress, said, "Poor, award-winning Prime Minister! What a homecoming - reminded by the 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, too, will turn 75 on September 11, 2025! One arrow, two targets!" he added.