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Sachin Tendulkar becomes Rajya Sabha member of Parliament. posted under: India | All news |
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar became India’s first active sportsperson to be sworn in as a member of parliament. In a move that surprised a lot of people, the master blaster was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, along with actress Rekha and industrialist Anu Aga, in April.
Tendulkar was nominated for the position on April the 27th, but couldn’t take the oath during the Budget Session because of the IPL last month.
He reached the parliament house with the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla and in 15 minutes, he was done with his oath. So this wasn’t exactly like a test match but more like a T20 for him, when he took the oath in Hindi and was presented with a golden shawl, marking the start of his parliamentary career, all within a half hour. Rekha and Anu Aga were sworn in earlier.
Right after the oath taking ceremony, he spoke to the media making one point crystal clear. Cricket would continue to remain his top priority.
A website quoted him saying: “Firstly, it’s a great honor for me, I believe the last 22 years of the international cricket have given me so many things. Whatever I am today is due to cricket only. I am here because of my cricketing career. I cannot take any focus away from my cricket. That is where it all started for me. I will focus on my cricket and as and when I stop playing cricket, I don't know, when I will start attending to other things”, he said.
“I don't want rumors to start that I have stopped playing cricket. I will let everyone know when I will stop playing cricket.” He further added.
He was also given the honorary rank of group captain in the Indian Air Force back in 2010, along with being considered for the ’Bharat Ratna’, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
After his nomination in April, critics and opposition parties were all over the place. While critics said this would turn out to be bad news because he would be split in two completely different worlds, reports showed that Om Mathur, a BJP member of parliament had expressed displeasure. He was quoted saying Tendulkar was being used by the ruling Congress party to boost its support in Maharashtra, the cricketer’s hometown. He reportedly accused the government of crass populist politics.
Among the ones to congratulate the legend were Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni and chess maestro Vishwanathan Annand. Dhoni was quoted as saying, “This (Rajya Sabha) is a new avenue for him and I am sure he will do well and contribute there also. I would like to wish him all the very best. He has been contributing in cricket and has done well in every field.” His comments came a day ahead of Tendulkar making his debut in the Upper House of the Parliament.
But one has to think, does the merging of these two completely different worlds by the little master mean anything? He has already made it clear and obvious that this concentration will only be on cricket, for now. So he most likely won’t be bringing much of cricket into the government. But you have to wonder, will the government refrain itself from getting into cricket through Tendulkar? And what happens when the man with a hundred hundreds (and expectedly more to come) finally retires from cricket? You never know. |
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