Paromita Das
New Delhi, 12th July: When RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently floated the idea that political leaders should retire from public life at 75, it sounded like a simple, perhaps philosophical musing. Yet, in India’s hyper-charged political climate, few words land without echo. The Congress party, which has struggled for relevance against the BJP juggernaut, seized on Bhagwat’s comment with a gleeful sense of vindication—after all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hit that milestone in September 2025. Within hours, Congress leaders were posting, sharing, and spinning the remark as a subtle push for Modi’s political sunset.
But in their rush to project Bhagwat’s words as an indictment of the BJP’s leadership, the Congress may have tripped over its own contradictions. In politics, age is often a double-edged sword: a sign of wisdom or a symbol of a stale order, depending on who wields it. And for Congress, the age question is one that doesn’t survive its own mirror.
Celebrating a Standard You Won’t Follow
When Congress leaders amplified Bhagwat’s 75-year cut-off, they overlooked an uncomfortable reality: some of their tallest figures are well past that benchmark. Sonia Gandhi, the matriarch who still controls the party’s pulse, will be 78 this December. Mallikarjun Kharge, the party’s national president, is already in his eighties. If the RSS chief’s idea is a universal truth, shouldn’t it apply equally to their own aging generals?
Yet the Congress’s reaction exposes the familiar theatre of selective outrage—pointing fingers outward but ducking scrutiny inward. While the party loves to brand itself as the harbinger of generational change, its top rungs remain deeply tethered to a leadership that refuses to fade gracefully. Even Rahul Gandhi, who once carried the mantle of ‘youth icon,’ has crossed 50 and clings to the center stage, despite repeated electoral misadventures.
A Generational Shift That Never Was
Younger Congress leaders have long whispered in closed corridors about the need for fresh blood and new ideas. But whispering isn’t leading. For decades, the party’s real authority has rested with Sonia Gandhi—an iron grip maintained through loyalty and legacy. When Kharge was installed as party president, it was sold as a turning point. Instead, it has looked like an elaborate arrangement to maintain the status quo, with Kharge often echoing the Gandhis more than challenging them.
And then there’s Rahul Gandhi. His era was supposed to signal change—new energy, new politics, a break from dynastic inertia. But over the years, Rahul’s narrative has become repetitive, often defined by avoidable political missteps and a chronic inability to build a robust bench of young leaders. One by one, promising faces either faded away, defected, or were pushed to the margins
An Opportunity for Honest Introspection
Bhagwat’s 75-year rule shouldn’t just be fodder for political memes or convenient jibes. It could be a genuine opportunity for India’s oldest party to hit refresh—if it dares. Age alone is not the issue; the problem is a leadership that has not translated its experience into revival or reinvention. A graceful handover to younger minds could have given the Congress a fresh heartbeat—a message to millions of young voters that the party can change with the times.
But so far, the Congress has chosen the comfort of familiarity over the risk of bold reinvention. It celebrates Bhagwat’s remark as a stick to beat Modi with, even as it ignores the same standard within its own glass house.
An Unpopular but Necessary Opinion
If the Congress truly wants to lead a new India, it must stop pretending that a surname alone can power revival. It must break the dependency on figureheads who refuse to retire. Yes, experience matters—but so does relevance. The party has no shortage of young minds ready to lead, innovate, and speak to a restless, aspirational India. But that talent must be trusted with real power—not showcased as symbolic diversity while the old guard pulls the strings.
A Mirror That Won’t Lie
Bhagwat’s comment has handed Indian politics an accidental but powerful mirror. The BJP may have its own battles with centralized, aging leadership, but the Congress’s double standards stand exposed. If it truly wants to position itself as a credible alternative, the party must walk the talk. Retirement isn’t about abandoning service—it’s about making space for new voices, new dreams, and new stories. For a party that once shaped India’s destiny, that courage might just be its only way back.
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