'Silenced' in Rajya Sabha, Sachin Tendulkar uses Facebook to spread his message

A day after Sachin Tendulkar was not allowed to speak in the Parliament, the cricket legend took to social media to convey his message. With the Rajya Sabha being adjourned for the second successive day on Friday, he took to Facebook to talk about the importance of sports and fitness in daily life.

On Thursday Congress leaders raised a ruckus and did not allow the nominated Member of Parliament to speak in the House. Tendulkar, in his maiden speech on the floor of the Upper House on Thursday, had moved a Short Discussion Motion on the future of sports in India and right to play. 

Rajya Sabha proceedings were once again disrupted by protesting Congress members on Friday. 

Sachin then posted a video saying India needed a proper plan and structure in place to become a sporting nation.

"It is my endeavour to transform India from being a sport loving nation to a sport playing nation. I urge you all to participate in this effort and help make my dream, our dream. Always remember, dreams do come true! Jai Hind," he wrote with the video. 

Here is what Sachin Tendulkar said:

 “There were some things yesterday that I wanted to communicate to you. I will try doing that here. I often wonder what brought me here, little did I realise that those baby steps in cricket would lead me to great lifetime memories. I always loved playing sport and cricket was my life. My father, Prof Ramesh Tendulkar, was a poet and a writer. He always supported me and encouraged me to do what I wanted in life. The greatest gift I got from him was freedom to play, the right to play and I will always be grateful for that.”

 “There are many pressing matters in our country which require our attention – economic growth, poverty, food security, health care among many others. Being a sportsman, I am going to talk on sports, health and fitness of India for it has a telling impact on our economy. My vision is a healthy and fit India,” said Tendulkar.

On Thursday, As Tendulkar stood up to begin the discussion, Congress MPs created a ruckus demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apology for insinuating that his predecessor Manmohan Singh was colluding with Pakistan.

Tendulkar, a Bharat Ratna winner, remained standing for 10 minutes, tight-lipped, as Opposition members raised slogans, ignoring Chairman Venkaiah Naidu's calls to come to order.

Naidu reminded them that the nation was watching the uproar they were causing in the Rajya Sabha and called on them to let Tendulkar speak. But unruly Congress MPs paid no heed to his requests.

"We're discussing about sports and you don't have the sporting spirit," Naidu scolded, before ordering the live telecast of House proceedings to be cut off.