'PM announced retirement at RSS office': Sanjay Raut claims 'successor discussed in close-door meet'

Sanjay Raut said, ‘as per my knowledge, he has never visited the RSS headquarters in 10-11 years. RSS wants change in leadership. PM Modi is now leaving’.

Updated on: Mar 31, 2025, 13:45:42 IST

By HT News Desk

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Shiv Sena (UBT)'s firebrand leader Sanjay Raut on Monday made a big claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the RSS office in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Sunday to “announce his retirement” and added that the next PM will be from the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a conversation with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat during the foundation stone laying for Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre, in Nagpur on Sunday. (DPR PMO)

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena said, “PM Modi went to the RSS office to announce his retirement. As per my knowledge, he has never visited the RSS headquarters in 10-11 years. RSS wants change in leadership. PM Modi is now leaving.”

"RSS will decide the successor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he will be from Maharashtra. That's why Modi was called to Nagpur to discuss it in a close door meeting," added Sanjay Raut.

A Congress leader also weighed in, saying that he agrees with Sanjay Raut. I think what he said is right. They retire people who cross 75 years. PM Modi is also ageing, so maybe they are thinking about retirement now. He must have gone there to make them happy… RSS is a terrorist organisation and formed organisations like VHP and Bajrang Dal,” news agency PTI quoted Congress leader Husain Dalwai on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s remark.

PM Modi's Nagpur visit

PM Modi on Sunday visited the RSS headquarter, becoming the second sitting PM to visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited it in 2000 during his third term as PM, an RSS official said.

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre, a new extension building of Madhav Netralaya Eye Institute & Research Centre, named after late RSS chief Madhavrao Golwalkar.

During his Nagpur visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as the "vatvruksh", or banyan tree, of India’s immortal culture and modernisation whose ideals and principles were to protect the national consciousness.

The RSS volunteers are working selflessly in various spheres in different parts of the country, news agency PTI quoted PM Modi.

"The Sangh is the ‘banyan tree’ of India’s immortal culture and modernisation," Modi said. ''This large vatvruksh is not an ordinary one," he said, adding the RSS is synonymous to service.

Madhav Netralaya was founded in 2014 in memory of late RSS chief Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar.

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