Anna asks Sachin to pitch for strong Lokpal in Parliament

Noida/New Delhi, June 4 (ANI): Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Monday congratulated cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on becoming member of the Rajya Sabha and expressed the hope that the batting maestro would raise his voice for a strong Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

"We hail this move. We are glad that young people like him (Sachin), who think about the nation, have made their way to Parliament. We hope, that now, he will raise the voice inside the Parliament, the way we are raising it outside," said Hazare.

"We are raising our voices against corruption and for the Ombudsman Bill outside, Similarly he should do the same inside Parliament," he added.

Hazare's key aide and RTI crusader Arvind Kejriwal urged Tendulkar to demand a strong Lokpal Bill in the Parliament.

"We would request Sachin Tendulkar to press in the Upper House of Parliament, the need to bring in a strong Ombudsman Bill," said Kejriwal.

It may be recalled here that Team Anna has so far been at loggerheads with the Congress-led UPA Government over the setting up of a strong Lokpal Bill. Hazare's joint fast with yoga guru Baba Ramdev against corruption on Parliament Street here on Sunday was a step in that direction, as they attacked the UPA Government and threatened a fight to the finish by August on the black money issue.

Tendulkar, who today took oath as member of the Rajya Sabha earlier today, made it clear that he would like to use the opportunity of being a member of the Upper House of Parliament to contribute in a meaningful manner not only for cricket, but also for other sports.

Tendulkar, who took his oath in Hindi in the office of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, is the first active sportsperson and cricketer to have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha under the Prominent Citizens Quota.

He was nominated to the Upper House along with film actress Rekha and industrialist Anu Aga in April, but had to wait to take his oath until the end of IPL season 5.

Tendulkar is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the first player to score a double century in ODI cricket.

In 2002, just 12 years into his career, Wisden ranked Tendulkar the second greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Donald Bradman, and the second greatest one-day-international (ODI) batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards. He was also a part of the 2011 Cricket World Cup winning Indian team. (ANI)