OUR BUREAU New Delhi
While the BJP and other opposition parties are peeved at the governments sudden and surprise decision on Thursday to nominate Sachin Tendulkar to Rajya Sabha, the Congress leaders are quite excited over the polit
ical advantage in seizing the youth icon to influence the new generation.
A day after, the political class and the cricket fraternity was vertically split over the nomination with some welcoming it and others not liking the idea of an active sports icon entering the political arena.
The Opposition even attacked the timing of the nomination, saying it could be aimed at diverting attention from problems plaguing the government.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut downplayed the move stating that Tendulkar should have been given the Bharat Ratna.
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, who has played with Tendulkar, said he was ” actually shocked by the story itself. First by the nomination as it came without any warning. And that Sachin has accepted it, which was even more shocking.” Mayawati, a Rajya Sabha member, welcomed Tendulkars nomination, but took a dig at Congress, saying people ” know very well the intentions of the Congress party.” A Congress leader rubbished the Opposition charge that Tendulkar has been nominated to divert attention. alt39alt39 The Government, the country and Parliament are above any individual.
One person can neither build nor destroy the fate of a party or a government,” he said, maintaining that nominated members have also contributed immensely to Rajya Sabha.
” I have seen some nominated members who have made a significant contribution. Can anybody ignore the contribution made by M S Swaminathan or Shabana Azmi? On the other hand, there were some who visited Parliament only once in a blue moon,” he said.
Commenting on the development, the Lok Sabha Speaker said, ” We will get to see how he performs his role in Parliament. I welcome his nomination to the Rajya Sabha.” Mulayam Singh Yadav said, ” It is a good decision to encourage a sports person. He is a big name.” Describing it as ” one of the finest decisions”, Trinamool leader and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, ” It will inspire a lot of young people.” However, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta differed from his colleagues in the Rajya Sabha on Tendulkars nomination. ” It should not be seen as if the government is only patronising cricket.
There are so many other sports and sports persons, besides cricket, about which the government needs to think seriously,” he said. ” I welcome the decision to nominate Tendulkar. But, at the same time, Sourav Ganguly, who is in top form, too should have been considered,” he said.
