JDU questions Bharat Ratna to Sachin

The two days after government announced conferring cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with Bharat Ratna, Janata Dal United leader raised question on validity to give the country’s highest civilian award to him.

JDU leader Shivanand Tiwari on Monday said that Bharat Ratna awardee Sachin Tendulkar did not play cricket for free and centre should have consider honouring hockey legend Major Dhayanchand instead of Sachin.

“Sachin is a good player but he was paid a lot of money to do that. He didn’t play for free. Someone like Dhyanchand who won several medals for India at a time when we were not a free nation, this award was not given to him.”

He also recommended that government should stop awarding Bharat Ratna.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar however seen distancing himself from Tiwari’s remark and said it was his personal opinion.

“It is a personal opinion of Tiwari … everybody has an opinion,” he said. “I welcome the Bharat Ratna given to Sachin Tendulkar who served the country through his extraordinary contribution to the game,” Nitish Kumar said.

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