If he accepts, Tendulkar will be the first active sportsman and cricketer to enter Upper House
Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar is all set to begin a new innings as a member of the House of Elders in Parliament.
Tendulkar, who turned 39 this week, will enter the Rajya Sabha along with Bollywood actress of yesteryear Rekha and industrialist Anu Aga.
The nomination of the three eminent personalities was approved on Thursday night by President Pratibha Patil under Article 80 of the Constitution. It allows the President to nominate 12 members to the 250-member Upper House.
The names of Tendulkar, who has broken almost all world records in cricket and who last month notched up his 100th international century; Rekha, who won accolades for playing a variety of roles in the Hindi cinema in the 1980s, and social worker Aga were sent by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the Home Ministry on Wednesday for approval by the President.
Seventy-year-old Aga, former chairperson of Thermax Industries, is a member of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council.
There has been a long-standing demand from several quarters for conferring the country's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, on Tendulkar for his contribution to cricket. He enjoys a phenomenal fan following not only in India but also in many other countries. He scored the historic 100{+t}{+h} international hundred against Bangladesh in Dhaka last month.
Earlier in the day, Tendulkar, accompanied by wife Anjali, called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Reacting to reports of Tendulkar's nomination, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad, himself a Rajya Sabha member, said: “Tendulkar is a great player, we are proud of him. If he is nominated, surely he will devote some time to Parliament.”
In the recent past, well-known film personalities, including Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and Lata Mangeshkar have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. It now has seven nominated members. As of today, there are five vacancies. Since 1952, 118 eminent persons have been nominated.
Keywords: Rajya Sabha nomination, Sachin Tendulkar, actor Rekha
rajya sabha is the house of elders.When has sachin become elder.A retired cricketer who has brought fame to the country,KapilDev could have been nominated.As he is not associated in any way with the administration of the sport, the administrators of the game would dare not ask any favors from him. Sachin is still in the game.Will he be able to take active part when the parliament is in session.
Sachin may Genius in Cricket But Parliament is entirely different
area. It was a wrong decision from the part of Government & Sachim
himself.
Entry of Sachin Tendulkar to Rajya Sabha is a welcome step. We need persons who have achieved excellence in their fields to contribute to the larger cause of nation building. Good step by the government.
Why this fad for cricket and cinema folks? Most disgusting; what is their contribution to social cause or knowledge on the topic. They earn fame in their field plus crores in assets; enough; do not drag them into admin politics and spoil the atmosphere please.
At this rate, we will get all high profile sports and film folks into Rajya sabha and session when commenced will have empty chairs, as all will be busy otherwise making money May better sense prevail over our leaders, I pray !
Sachin is one of the greatest cricketing greats of all time and has made India proud and a force to reckon with in the cricketing arena.His batting prowess has enthralled and enlivened our living rooms from the very young to the very aged.Nominating Sachin to Rajya Sabha is a good gesture by the Govt.It is to be noted that even the opposition BJP has praised Sachin.
Now to the politics of it.
Sachin's meet with Congress President raises eyebrows as to whether he has allowed his stature and popularity to be used by the scam ridden Congress party to enhance its image in pursuit of votes of millions of admirers of the batting maestro.
May be this might test the intelligence of the Indian voter who nevertheless is Smart and has always delivered resounding and unpredictable verdicts.
Only time will tell us the answer.
Meanwhile we should move on to other livelihood issues that matter the most.Of late Indian journos and media houses resort to Personality centric Journalism.
This confirms that in India we don't pay any attention or respect to anything other than cinema and cricket. It also confirms that Sachin is no different than any politician. Sachin will make a ton of money after retirement and may need some political connections to ensure he doesnt pay taxes. I'm sure Rahul Dravid would have politely turned it down if he was offered the MP post. We all know why Rekha got the nomination ;-)
There are a million other ways to honor an excellent sportsperson like Sachin Tendulkar. Please, not a Rajya Sabha seat. For the Rajya Sabha, there are much more deserving candidates, one such would be Dr E Sreedharan who has always been available for the Indian Railways. If the intention behind is to honor sport, then recognize Hockey or a sport where India has a long way to go. Sadly, Olympic winners are always sidelined, so much that people actually try hard to remember their names and feats. Now that this has come through, we can just hope Sachin does some good for the sporting fraternity and not just Cricket.
Mr. Amitabh Bhachan entered politics, with what result we all know. History should not repeat itself. If the UPA govt.'s intention is to wean away Maharastrians in general and the youth in particular it is very badly mistaken. A drop of milk will not purify the salty ocean.Will Mr. Tendulkar vote against his conscience when the time comes?
Unfortunately, As i think more on the nominations, these two INDIVIDUALS are better than many people entering into Loksabha and Rajyasabha, that is the sad stroy!
But, Wrong choices in both(sachin and Rekha) nominations. A person going to Rajyasabha is expected to dicuss on topics related to public issues and who can bring difference to the lives of people. Sachin is a great cricket player but that doesn't mean he can be nominated for RS, is going to take part in debates? even now he plays cricket when he wants! Rekha's choice is even more poor judgement, she is not spending any time for the society and is in silent mode.
Were these two people nominated for some attention?
If Rekha and Sachin are keen to enter policts, they should have entered into Loksabha where they get a chance to meet people and get elected, it is anybody's guess that Sachin can win election in Maharastra, any time.
Understand Sachin is a well known figure not only to Indians but
through out the world. Who is this Rekha, why was she
nominated, what is the speciality has she got that Nargis, Waheda
Rehman,Madhubala, Meenakumari,Hemamalini, Sadhana, Sharmila Tagore,
Sridevi, juhi Chawla and Madhuri Dixit do not have. I strongly
oppose to the elevation of Rekha to this status. What has she done in
films, was she more important, creative and special than the above
mentioned ladies. If possible we all should protest in a strong manner.
sachin would be making a history if he appears in advertisements
as MP.He has already amassed wealth disproportional to his
contribution.So no one could file suits against him as MP.He might
be offered a cabinet post without work.Who knows one day he would
become the President of India.Students of Indian history after 200
yrs would be wondering about the fate of our country under such
leaders.
really proud to be a fan of the great master!!!!!!!! many people may suggest him not suitable to lead a team... he can do much better than the present politicians.. he is worshipped by lot of people and he knows his responsibility. he wont corrupt. being a sportsman, he takes calculated risks and he wont sit and sleep like other politicians...
Sachin please do not enter politics. You will be doomed sooner or later. We want you to be our hero in the future too!
Fredrick
In my view this is not the right time for Sachin to enter Rajya Sabha. He won't be able to do justice to the office of MP for he would be busy in his Cricket assignments. Around 50 would have been the right age to enter such arena i.e Rajya Sabha to give some meaningful contribution to the country in a different field. Congress should not use him as a political tool just as they did with Amitabh Bachhan. Sachin should have said a polite "NO' to the nomination. Time alon would decide whether he made the right move.
No one can tell Sachin when to retire from cricket but I hope he
realises that he's 39, holds all the world records, a world cup win
and over 20 years of time in the world's cricket limelight. He
should really let go of the national team now and let some other
budding young cricketers get opportunities. Sachin can then focus
his time on social / political scene to bring some improvements. But
really Sachin, dont stretch your retirement too much. If you do that
then people will really question your decision of holding both a
Rajya Sabha seat and still playing cricket.
Why can't we nominate a Mary Kom, Abhinav Bhindra or Jwala Gutta. Oh I forgot because these are not money makers for corporations. These individuals came to the top with their own effort and hard work without any corporate sponsorship. The elected representatives are already make fun of this institution by having a attendance of close to 10%. I would like to bring your attention to MP's from AP i.e. Jagan, Vijayashanti, KCR and others with a pathetic attendance of close to lower double digits without raising a single question or participating in debates. Sure Sachin and Rekha will be busy rubbing shoulders with corporations or movie makers to enrich their careers rather than do anything better for us common folks.
There are several wise men and women far more worthy in our country, who
can make a larger contribution but who don't want to be seen in the
company of politicians. For those who want Sachin to retire gracefully,
this may not be such a bad thing. Importantly, it may be a good thing
for him too, for he may retire at the summit, before too many people
start asking 'why not?'
Our democracy is surely dying or is it being Killed? Shame on those promoting such persons who cann't will in an election. RS now stands for pRabhu Sabha....sabha of people who are totally divorced from and can do little to improve the day-to-day lives of the downtrodden in this country.
awarding Bharat Ratna to Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is really a great honour to such a great gifted personality. He just not only a great cricketer but also maintained that cordial realtions with all his juniors and seniors throughout his carrier and so only had n-number of fans not only in India but also in overseas. My sincere request is to award him Bharat Ratna at the earliest.
I dont see anything wrong in Sachin being a member of the Rajya Sabha .He is an extremely accomplished person who has brought glory to the country.I hope he brings his sincerity in cricket to this new role as well. And if he wants to do something additional for the country why should he be critisized for his actions ??
This practice of nominating cine actors and players to what is
described as House of Elders should be discontinued. Over the passage
of time, democracy has been reduced to mockery. Cricket is no more a
game. It is now a gambling den where illicit money and liquor flows
freely. Cricketers with vices have soiled nation's prestige. Upper
House is not stadium. The player is already adequately recognised by
honouring him with countless awards, rewards, gifts, etc. This august
house is not film studio to invite the leading lady of cinemas to
occupy a seat which is meant for matured thinkers and outstanding
academicians. As M.Ps., these so called celebrities are liabilities to
the nation. Nominated seat in Parliament is not an ornament. Nominated
or elected, each M.P. has duties and responsibilities to nation. The
upper chamber was once a respectable house of great stalwarts and
scholars whose contribution to strengthen democracy is unique and
their oratory skill is unparalleled.
All the three nominations/selections are welcome and praise-worthy.
Theirs work has an art be it Sports,Cinema or industry-based. Avoid biasness and encourage their nomination artfully . "Art is Heart".
Sachin should concentrate only on Cricket now. He is still playing. why
should he get into this?
good decision
needless PR by the Congress. Politicians are skilled at what they are -
attempting to divert the attention of the nation after the s&p downgrade
(BBB-, the minimum investment grade rating). The economy is in terrible
shape due to mounting deficits, policy paralysis, all pervading
corruption, depreciating rupee and hyper inflation. Its only a matter of
time before s&p downgrades to junk status. Perhaps, congress has plans
for a Bharat Ratna nomination for Sachin when that happens.
I lost all respect for this man as what has he done for our country than earn wealth for himself and his sponsors. He is neither worthy of Bharat Ratna nor a Rajya Sabha seat. Our elected representatives fail us every single day and this practise of appeasing celebrities should stop. Cricket is played by half a dozen nations in the world and he might be the top run getter but he is not god nor has done any good to society. We Indians should stop conferring these awards / titles / posts to people who the government considers as eminent. Like somebody pointed out, our country totally revolves around cricket and movies. There are equally hard working people in other sports who neither get the recognition they deserve nor earn any money.
Tendulkar and Rekha for Rajya Sabha! ill placed admiration,sympathy and compassion for them.In what way they are going to help contribute to making the debates more knowledgble,reflect the cultural and intellectual diveristy of India.They must represent their field of interests and their states of origin,not political parties which nominated them.If they represent any political parties,it is an insult to the Constitution,as long they remain members of the RS.
Sachin's Greatness made Rajyasabha seat to vow before him
The Prime Minister's Office is reported to have recommended the names of star batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood star Rekha for nomination to the Rajya Sabha. In the past too sportsmen and actors were nominated to the Rajya Sabha. They have neither done good for the country nor achieved anything. I, for one, am of the opinion
that such nominations should be stopped. It was done with good intention in the earlier days where prominent people were invited to participate in the law making. But the recent nominations mack a mockery of the Rajya Sabha. Why not include Anna Hazarare, Kiran Bedi and Aravind Kejerwal, T. N. Sheshan, Vittal - former CVC- and the like? Furthermore Rajya Sabha has become a means for the back door entry of politicians. Why not completely do away with the Rajya Sabha which is a waste of public money?
This proves once again that India is obsessed only with Cricket and
Bollywood. Bollywood stars are given unnecessary respects, statures and
positions.
Sachin and Rekha are superb in the respective fields.No Doubt.But politics is an entirely different ball game.Here you need real insight into what the needy face.I doubt if either really feel the beat of the poor.Not to mention since they have other avenues to look after , i doubt how much they can contribute to the parliamentary affairs.
Besides i feel this is just a political move.
Dear Mahesh: The seven nominations so far done are:
1.)Aiyar, Shri Mani Shankar
2.)Akhtar, Shri Javed
3.)Dua, Shri H.K.
4.)Ganguly, Dr. Ashok S.
5.)Jayashree, Smt. B.
6.)Mungekar, Dr. Bhalchandra
7.)Swaminathan, Prof. M.S.
who are maestro in their respective fields and belogn to diverse fields and not just sports and bollywood. So for these seven cover wide range of fields ranging from science to journalism.Hence, it would be indeed wrong to say that Indians have obsession towards just cricket and bollywood.
I strongly believed that India will be a super power in 15~20 years. It will definitely take another 50 years I guess and I might not be alive then!
People talk about sachin being a sportsman and hence not eligible for this nomination. Please remember that he declared himself an actor to evade taxes. Acting in ads & evading taxes is apparently an art in this country and reason enough to be included in the elite (or whatever) group that makes laws! India is beyond repair.
Sachin is a product of "Capitalist India" and owes his successful career to Narasimha Rao's privatisation of television channels. BCCI would have been the poorest cricketing body in the entire world but for ESPN and STAR. Sachin endorses various corporate brand and nominating him for Rajya Sabha is anything but Moral and Ethical. Unlike the Capitalists and sucessful Sportspersons in other mature democracies Rich people in India have stayed away from charity. They want to make more money and perpetuate their dynasties.
This is not what Mahatma wanted. Killing Gandhian Values is far worse than Killing Gandhi and that is what the present Govt is doing.
Hope Tendulkar declines the offer. Politics is a dirty game these days and many politicians are hated by the public for corrupt behavior.Tendulkar will surely sully his reputation by joining such a bunch.He has always kept to himself and seldom expressed his true feelings on any subject.In politics he will be required to express himself strongly on various matters affecting the nation.People like Gavaskar, Ganguly and Shastri are more suited for this role - not Tendulkar.
So cricket and bollywood issues are going to be discussed in rajyasabha???or be along the rich people.what does rajya sabha needs. I would suggest some sensible experienced retired persons who should be capable to decide india's future and not for personal gains.why just tag empty rajya sabha member to people.Also what will be the performance criteria for these people.
Sachin can contribute more by nourishing the young talents in the field
of cricket,not by becoming a politician.
A crucial post to Tendulkar. We can't prejudice whether he deserve this or not. But given an option to him, he should come up with steps to improve our society and should play a role in changing the view of politics. All the best Sachin.
no Idea on what basis the members are chosen but why no scientist in RS?
I am not questioning the two but why not a qualified, well educated, trained people who can take better decisions on comparing with the current set of MPs?
Social workeer Aga photo is missing and people did not talk about her. This is what we all care for and we get what we deserve. News also covers a lot about politicians, actor, actress and cricketer. But not a lot about social workers who will only reach 100-100000 people. But they will be a good candidate for elections-but we talk little about them and know a little about them. How can they reach us?
I just have a point to make against this practice of nominating a RS MP right before the Presidential elections. This is nothing but queering the pitch for the collegium right before the elsections. Is the election commission going to be mum on this one too? They intervene everywhere the ruling party seems to be losing. If they have to be nominated , the 4 members should not be allowed to vote for electing the new president. Its too much of a corrupt practice.
The principal function of the Rajya Sabha is law making. I fail to
understand how Sachin or Rekha will contribute to this exercise. I mean
no disrespect to them, but I feel really sorry to say that Rajya Sabha
has become a waste of taxpayers' money.
Though i am a big fan of sachin and just love watching him on cricket
field,I think rajyasabha seat should not become a gift,but it should
serve the purpose for which it is instituted,i.e. raising people's
voice and concerns.I wonder how someone who has not been in the larger
society,who is not aware of common day to day problems people face.like
sachin will serve the purpose ...i am very sad that ..membership of
rajyasabha has become honorary hence loosing the basic essence of our
democracy which is representation of common people...it will be better
if the PM would have recommended people who would have contributed
towards common people's welfare....
There is no way he is going to lose his fan club. As long as he does not
associate himself with any political party we cannot say he is becoming
a politician and I'm sure he will never be the one. He is just getting
an opportunity to serve our country better and he is really good at it.
Sachin's nomination reminds me of the cliched concept still alive in many that a school topper has a natural flair in all other fields be it sports, art or anything else under the sun. Constitution of India does provide for nomination of people of eminence to the Rajya Sabha with a view to tap their expertise in their respective fields for improving the governance of the nation by making them a part of the decision making process. But this noble idea is inherently flawed. First, a group of 12 people, for all their good intentions, cannot make up for the inefficiency of those elected who far outnumber them. Second, the choice of people nominated has not been always wise. Members coming from the upper crust of the society have poor record of performance. Their attendance is far below the average. They hardly participate in debates or raise questions if at all. They have a tendency of looking at issues from their perspective which is greatly at odds with ordinary Indians'.
sachin is god of cricket and he was a marvelous we can not appreciate him with words he is the only man who desires for cricket.We all are very lucky for sachin born in India he was extrodinary and marvelous incredeble,he was my god.
This is just an act by govt. to attract people who just vote looking at
the face of celebrities and film stars and who dont even care about the
future of the country. I could see the fans of Sachin already
celebrating for this. Hail the shrewd acts of the Govt.
Mr Tendulkar is not a literary person. He is not an artist although for the purpose of avoiding income or some other tax he was rumoured to have classified himself as an artist. He is not a scientist. He did not do any social service. All avidence suggests that he did a lot of self-service using his outstanding cricket achievements. It is cynical of congress party to enlist him early in his young political career and it is cynical of Tendulkar to accept it to advance his business interests further. His nomination can not be constitutionally justified.
Ms Rekha on the other hand can claim as an exceptional artist. Irrespective of whether she deserves nomination to Raja Sabha, at least it is justifiable on artistic merit.
It will be good if Sachin politely regects this request,by knowing the evil thought of Politicians.Is this is the way for congress to gain publicity?.
Indians neither know the Politics or Games or Sports in its purest sense.They have got what they deserve.Bestowing on them MPs is quite
unnecessary and ridiculous.Let them continue to play in their chosen fields and try to excel others.What ordinary indian folks derive by their presence in the Rajya Sabha?
This recent shocking news about Sachin is somewhat acceptable if Sachin
has announced his retirement from at least International Cricket, now it
seems like he has been made a scapegoat and this might significantly
lead to the deterioration of his game and also might spoil his image
considerably.
Is it in any way an attempt by Congress to please the public?
Is this a move by the Government to have mercy on the people of India and to keep Tendulkar away from Cricket and Rakhi away from Movies?
Those who have suffered can only make a difference. Rekha ji and Sachin
might have faced many ups and downs in their respective careers but can
their struggles be more than the struggles of Aam Aadmi is left now for
the all to see. All an aam aadmi can do now is to wish they make some
difference to the upper house how they have changed their worlds before.
After facing poly tricks of bowling and batting,and fielding ,in sports it is time to be sportive in politics .
Severely let down by this aweful decision by Sachin. The admiration of decades has vanished in minutes with his decision to go with most corrupt government ever. What a fall. Sad.
The saddest thing is that such special personalities, when they become members of the Parliament, do not contribute anything worth mentioning to the Parliamentary processes or debates. Utmost they complete their mandatory attendance rituals to ensure benefits. Specialists of different fields could contribute for atleast furthering the interests of their own fields (like sports, arts, literature etc) by appropriate legislation. Honouring them with appropriate awards (in their respective fields) would be more appropriate.
It is good to see Sachin as Rajya Sabha member............
A desperate attempt to gain PR points by UPA? No disrespect to Sachin,
he has scored lots of runs in cricket but will he be able to make a
single positive contribution in Rajya Sabha? He is super busy with his
cricketing schedule so it will be tough for him to attend sessions.
I personally believe that most celebrities really don't give a damn
about their fans. They would tell you to drink some cola soft drink
without even knowing what its contents are and what effect it will
have on your body - All they care about is the money they will make
out of the advertisement.
We Indians should wake up and see how our obsession with celebrities
and cricket is dumbing us down. An average Indian will know how many
runs Cricketer X scored in the last match he played and when Film Star
Y's cat got sick, but he/she will hardly have any clue about current
events of national interest or know about the rights Indian
constitution has granted him/her.
Jai Hind
dear president
Iam an ardent fan of Sachin Tendulkar.. yes he is virtually the God of
cricket...But please let him play cricket..not make him a
politician..the countries constitution gives you the authority to
nominate 12 eminent person from various walks of life (no doubt about
the efficiency of sachin in his field, rekha.. no comments...) but
when the country is reeling under corruption, self gratification,
mismanagement, naxalism, insurgency and growing difference between the
society and slowly treading towards a ripe opportunity of a Jasmine
(here you may call Lotus) revolution..please make your choices right..
is Sridharan (Delhi metro) rewarded by the govt in any way, what about
some old name called TN seshan, Gen (retd) Padmanabhan or some one
called Narayanamurthy or any social activists like some one from Team
Anna or one of leftists(those intelligentsia supporting the naxal
cause, in a democracy let them come into the place where it matters
and voice their concerns)
Article 80 of the Constitution provides for nomination of persons having
special knowledge or practical experience in matters such as literature,
science, art and social service oops sorry Sachin(Sports} you don't fit
the bill of Rajshaba. as for other one" Rekha"(Art} cheers go for it
Madam
What Sachin or Rekha could contribute by sitting in parliament. What they know about the people's needs. Even I do have great respect for his contribution towards Cricket, there are certain things which we can not forgive him. One of the example would be, when he got foreign car as gift, he was requesting for IT exemption, though he is earning more.
Personally I dont want to see Sachin as a Politician. That too Congress, neednt say more!
After this many yrs as the King of Indian cricket money shouldnt be a motto. Think he isnt that greedy.
He will lose a lot of fans and all his glory from 20 yrs will be in the drain.
Hope there is a good friend to advise him... Good luck mate.
Sachin should be conferred bharat ratna and not the RajyaSabha seat, morever will he be able to do justice to that post with his active participation in National team as well as IPL? It was better to nominate him to RS once he retires from active cricket.
I am glad to hear that little master is getting Rajya Sabha seat
i wish him for his second innings in country .thanks
Honble Prime Minister of India having right decision at right time regarding the nomination to Rajya Sabha as Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and actress Rekha
This is a shocker!
Please refrain yourself from doing this Master!
People will lose faith in you.. :-/
Bharat Ratna should be the next surprise that government should give to
sachin :). He deserves it. All Indians support the same .
Tendulkar I can understand But Rekha for what???
Thus proving that Indians are obsessed only about 2 things: Cricket and Bollywood.
I ask on what basis?
Art? Science? Literature? Social Service?
Science and literature are ruled out.
I don't think playing excellent cricket and bringing name and fame to
the country is considered an "Art".
And if it on the grounds of social service, I reckon there are other
people who deserve the nomination more.
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