Published 14:53 IST, February 7th 2021
Rihanna's tweet on farmers' stir okay but Tendulkar's not?: VHP slams Sharad Pawar's logic
Mocking Sharad Pawar's advice to Tendulkar, VHP's Vijay Tiwari said that Rihanna is allowed to speak against farm laws but Bharat Ratna 'cannot share his views'
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Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vijay Shankar Tiwari on Sunday mocked Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar for his 'advice' to former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar against commenting on farmers protest and similar contentious issues in India.
Noting that many people reacted sharply to the stand taken by Indian celebrities over the farm laws passed by the Centre, Pawar had told media that a prominent figure like Tendulkar should exercise caution while speaking about other fields.
Hitting out at the NCP leader's biased remark, Vijay Shankar Tiwari said that foreign celebrities such as Rihanna commenting on India's internal affairs is welcomed by Pawar, but when Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar speaks in favour of the bills, he is advised to exercise caution.
"People consider Sharad Pawar as a senior leader, but is he really? Rihanna from across seven seas is allowed to speak against the farm laws, but according to Sharad Pawar, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar cannot speak in favor of the agriculture bill," the VHP leader tweeted in Hindi.
Master Blaster Tendulkar had faced flak from certain quarters of the media for tweeting against the meddling of foreign personalities in the ongoing farmers' stir. Some even went on to suggest that the cricket icon was being used by the Centre to voice support for farm laws, as though he could not have an opinion of his own.
'Tendulkar's reputation at stake'
Echoing Shard Pawar's 'advice', NCP MP Majeed Memon said that counter comments by living legends like Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar should refrain from entering contentious areas as it would invite criticism and 'diminish their respect'.
Counter comments by our living legends like Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar inviting criticism from a section of people would only diminish their respect and affection among people. They better refrain from entering contentious areas.
— Majeed Memon (@advmajeedmemon) February 7, 2021
Similar comments came from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who opined that the Government should not have 'roped in' Bharat Ratnas Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar to support its stand, claiming that it put their "reputation at stake".
#WATCH | Govt shouldn't have asked big personalities like Sachin Tendulkar & Lata Mangeshkar to tweet in support of its stand & put their reputation at stake. They're recipients of Bharat Ratna. Actors like Akshay Kumar were enough for this task: MNS chief Raj Thackeray (06.02) pic.twitter.com/TPpJSQ7cAN
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2021
Tendulkar tweets in support of Govt
Amid international support for farmers' protest, Tendulkar tweeted that external forces can be spectators but not participants in India's internal affairs, in response to Rihanna's tweet "Why aren't we talking about this?" - referring to the farmers' protests.
In retaliation, Kerala's Youth Congress members smeared Sachin's poster with black oil. This move was slammed by the BJP, with ex-Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis asking, "Not only for Maharashtra but Sachin Tendulkar is a pride for the whole country. Will the leader of Maha Vikas Aghadi bear such an insult of Bharat Ratna recipient?".
14:53 IST, February 7th 2021