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Read: I won’t quit cricket for politics: Sachin Tendulkar

Thackeray slams Sachin’s Rajya Sabha nomination…

Dirty picture, cries Shiv Sena.

Pic. Bal Thackeray and  Sachin Tendulkar.

Mumbai, April 29: The Congress move to have Sachin Tendulkar nominated to the Rajya Sabha is the “real dirty picture”, Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray said today.

“It is the Congress’s dirtiest play… the real dirty picture is this,” he told reporters after being given a lifetime achievement award by a Raipur-based magazine,Cartoon Watch.

Thackeray and his party have accused the Congress of trying to “appropriate” the cricket icon.

Today, asked how he would draw a cartoon of Sachin, Thackeray, who ran a cartoon magazine before founding the Shiv Sena, said that in some cases “a mere photograph is enough”. There is no need for a cartoon.

In the editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna yesterday, Thackeray had said the Congress must have an ulterior motive in having Sachin nominated to the upper House.

The Sena chief said he was proud of Tendulkar. “I feel proud of Sachin. Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini (too) went to the Rajya Sabha. But before going there, one should know whether he has a scope (to do anything) there,” he said.

Sammna Editorial about Sachin

The state Congress was quick to react. “If Thackeray says nominating Sachin to the Rajya Sabha is the ‘dirty picture’, then was nominating Dhoot a case of ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’?” state party spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.

Industrialist Rajkumar Dhoot of the Videocon group, a Rajya Sabha nominee, is said to have the Sena’s support.

Not all seem to agree with Thackeray, though.

Singer Lata Mangeshkar said she was happy with Sachin’s nomination and that the cricketer would make a good parliamentarian provided he got the time to attend the House.

“I am very happy…. He truly deserves this but I don’t know how he will split his time between cricket and Parliament,” Lata said.

“Sachin is a busy person. There is a lot of international cricket happening. It will be a tough task for him to attend Parliament sessions regularly. I don’t know how he is going to do it.”

Lata herself was nominated for the Rajya Sabha in 1999 but could not attend sessions regularly, which had attracted some criticism then.

“I could not attend sessions regularly during my tenure as I had recordings every day. It was very difficult for me. I did not say a single word during my tenure in the Rajya Sabha and experienced criticism as well. My overall experience was okay, though,” she said.

“Sachin is a very sincere, wise and good human being. He will say whatever he wants to. I am sure he will make a name in Parliament the way he has done in cricket,” Lata said.

Courtesy : Telegraph, Kolkata.

Related readings: Sena chief blasts Congress for Sachin’s Rajya Sabha innings…TNN.

Sachin snubs Mumbai Corporation: Sena members….IBN Live. 

Sachin in RS is Cong’s dirtiest play: Thackeray…. Hindustan Times.

Sachin’s nomination is Congress’ Dirty Picture: Bal Thackeray… Indian Express.