Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was targeted by a section of his fans and politicians on social media for supporting the Narendra Modi-led Indian government’s stand on the ongoing protest in response to the international celebrities’ support to the movement.
Indian celebrities from both Cricket and Bollywood have been facing anger from their fans on social media for becoming the government’s parrot and opposing the concern expressed by international celebrities such as American pop icon Rihanna, climate activist Greta Thunberg, actor Amanda Cerny, and Meena Harris, niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Last week, Tendulkar had tweeted, “India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let's remain united as a nation. #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda,”
The legendary cricketer’s tweet didn’t go down well with many with several fans saying they weren’t expecting this from the “God of Cricket” against his country’s protesting farmers who have been protesting at Delhi borders for more than two months now.
Even several fans hit on the road, burned Tendulkar’s posters while criticizing the master-blaster and even Maharashtra Government ordered a probe into Twitter posts made by celebrities Sachin.
Read Also: Sharad Pawar advises Sachin Tendulkar to be careful with comments on other fields
Well now, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Preeti Sharma Menon has written to Tendulkar, requesting the cricket icon to tweet in support of the farmers after a young protester outside the batting legend's residence in Mumbai demanded him to come out in support of farmers.
In the latter, she has mentioned that the young man named Ranjeet Bagal had traveled 400 km to come all the way from Pandharpur, Maharashtra's Solapur District, to Mumbai only to request Tendulkar to tweet in support of the “Anndaatas” who are protesting against the government’s new agriculture laws.
Menon said in the letter to Tendulkar: “You are India's pride. This nation of 1.3 billion people has prayed for you, wept for you, and rejoiced in your success. In this country where Cricket is a religion, you are God for us. I am certain, as our Bharat Ratna and a Member Of Parliament your heart must want to bat for all multitudinous hued people of this country who have worshipped you.”
She added, “So I, a humble citizen, request you to heed the appeal of Ranjeet Bagel, a farmer's son, who traveled all the way from Solapur to your door. He came from Pandharpur, the "DevNagri" where all us Maharashtrians go for a pilgrimage, on a pilgrimage to Bandra, Mumbai where his God Sachin Tendulkar resides with a simple prayer - a tweet in support of our 'Anndaatas", the farmers who are protesting against the Farm Laws that will rob them ff their livelihood.”
The letter concluded, “In return for your tweet, once again countless Indians will shower you with love and blessings. I entreat you to please heed his prayer and just Tweet.”
(With India Today Inputs)
