"I never said I will retire or someone else should retire at 75": RSS chief Bhagwat
New Delhi (PTI): RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday asserted he had never stated that he would retire or someone else should retire at 75.
The comments by Bhagwat put at rest speculation over his recent remarks on retirement of leaders which was seen as a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both Modi and Bhagwat turn 75 next month.
"We are ready to retire anytime in life and ready to work as long as Sangh wants us to work," Bhagwat said responding to questions during the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) here.
On the issue of retiring at 75 years, Bhagwat said he had quoted late RSS leader Moropant Pingle in Nagpur recently while highlighting his witticism.
"He was so witty that his witticism made you bounce in your chair...Once in our programme, we all were there all-India karyakartas and he (Pingle) completed his 70 years. So he was given a shawl and was asked to say something...he stood up and said that 'you might be thinking that you have felicitated me but I know when this shawl is given it means you sit in a chair calmly and see what happens'," Bhagwat said. Pingle was felicitated on attaining the age of 75 years.
"I never said that I will retire or someone else should retire," Bhagwat said.
In the Sangh, swayamsewaks are given a job whether they want it or not, he said.
"We do whatever Sangh tells us to do."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Flagrant injustice to underprivileged: Mehbooba on govt action against Shopian school
Srinagar (PTI): PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said declaring Dar Ul Uloom Jamia Siraj Ul Uloom in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian an unlawful entity under the UAPA was a "flagrant injustice" to the underprivileged sections of society.
She also alleged that banning such "altruistic institutions" without any solid evidence of anti-national activity "shows a deep seated prejudice and ill intention".
The institution allegedly run by individuals affiliated with a banned organisation has been declared an "unlawful entity" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
In a post on X, Mehbooba said, "Every single day the j&k government acts as a mute bystander & a timid enabler of vicious assaults on J&Ks identity & dignity. Declaring Dar Ul Uloom Jamia Siraj Ul Uloom as an unlawful entity under UAPA is a flagrant injustice to the poor underprivileged sections of society".
The former chief minister said the institution served as a "beacon of quality education" for students unable to afford expensive schooling.
"It has produced reputed doctors and professionals who served this nation with dedication. Banning these altruistic institutions without any solid evidence of anti national activity shows a deep seated prejudice & ill intention," she added.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg issued a two-page order based on the dossier presented by Senior Superintendent of Police Shopian pointing towards the alleged illegal activities at Darul Uloom Jamia Sirajul Uloom at Imam Sahib in Shopian district in south Kashmir.
According to the order issued by Garg on April 24, there were "credible inputs and evidence on record, to indicate sustained and covert linkages of the institution with Jamaat-e-Islami, which the Government of India banned in 2019.
