Age no bar so long as capable leaders with credibility run the country: Ram Madhav at OLF

BHUBANESWAR: With a debate taking shape on the merit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi continuing in active politics even after attaining 75 years of age and the post-Modi era, strategic thinker, author and former national general secretary of BJP Ram Madhav said age should not be a barrier so long as the leaders are capable with credibility. In a conversation with senior journalist Kaveree Bamzai on Hindutva Paradigm: A new definition at the concluding day of the Odisha Literary Festival-2025 here on Sunday, Madhav said Modi is the leader of the whole country and he is leading it in a visionary way. Those who are capable and run the country efficiently should continue. In a country as diverse as India, you need a person with experience and credibility. He is doing an excellent job. I would not say that people over 75 years of age should quit politics and go away, was Madhavs cryptic reply. Citing the example of ex-President of USA Ronald Reagan, the author said his young opponent questioned the formers ability to run for the presidency during the 1979 election because of his old age. Reagan said his job is to exploit the talents of the youth of the country. With the prime minister always being in a hurry to achieve his goals, Madhav, who is the president of think tank India Foundation, said there is nothing wrong in it. To be in a hurry is not wrong. There will be occasions when you need to be in a hurry. We have to race forward, otherwise we will be left out. We need to go out of the curve to meet out targets, he stressed. Citing the example of China, Madhav said, two decades ago the leaders of the country decided to push everything to be where they are today. There was no ifs and buts. The prime minister set out his goals from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He is pushing the country fast to achieve them. He cannot achieve his mission alone. It requires a whole-of-the-nation approach. The positive outcome of Modis approach is that now states have been setting targets to become trillion dollar economy, he said. We have the ability, capability and the strength to build a strong economy, robust security and a dignified India. We have to be practical. Prosperity of India requires strategic action, sustained efforts and realistic planning, not romanticism, the RSS leader underlined. Coming down heavily on the Congress for constantly attacking constitutional bodies, Madhav said all independent institutions of the country including the Election Commission are under fire for furthering its petty political gains at the cost of the nation. How it is possible for the EC to take out selective people from the voters list? he wondered.