Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar bats for gambling game app, protesters seek return of the Bharat Ratna

Protesters outside Sachin Tendulkar’s house

Two days after threatening former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with a legal notice for endorsing an online gaming app, on Thursday MLA Bacchu Kadu and workers from his Prahar Janshakti party, staged a massive protest outside the legend's residence. Kadu, former minister of state (MoS), has openly criticised Tendulkar for promoting a "dubious" gaming app, despite being an icon and a Bharat Ratna.

The protesters kept shouting slogans like "Batting to Betting" and "Parat dyaa, Parat dyaa, Bharat Ratna parat dyaa," (Return the Bharat Ratna) outside the master blaster's residence in Bandra.

‘Youngsters encouraged'

Kadu argued that endorsing such gaming apps encourages youngsters to use them and develop addicted behaviours that result in significant financial losses. Kadu had previously sent an appeal in which he said that Tendulkar, as the recipient of the Bharat Ratna (India's highest civilian award), should refrain from taking part in such advertisements or promoting gambling.

He added, "We receive a lot of calls and texts. People have taken money on interest and staked it on these games. Tendulkar must also promote Matka (sort of a lottery/ local gambling game), why leave that? People bestowed the Bharat Ratna must follow a certain code of conduct, preserving its sanctity. Bhagat Singh, Annabhau Sathe and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule never received the Bharat Ratna. And some people who did, are profiting from such endorsements."

Kadu said that they had earlier given time to Tendulkar to reply to their appeal asking for him to withdraw from the Paytm First Game promotional campaign. However, as there was no reply from the cricketer on the issue, he was forced to send a legal notice, he added.

"Sachin Tendulkar is a Bharat Ratna awardee. It is not right for a person who has millions of fans and a Bharat Ratna to endorse and promote a gambling game app like Paytm First. We had appealed to the Maharashtra government and Tendulkar to ban this ad immediately. However, that was not done. Hence, we protested," said advocate Manoj Tekade, state spokesperson of Prahar Janshakti party.

‘Will write to the president'

Tekade said," If this advertisement does not stop, we will write to the president of India to take back the Bharat Ratna given to Tendulkar."

The party workers will now present Marathi literature books to Tendulkar as a protest. "We will gift Tendulkar Marathi books written by saints to help him overcome his greed for money," said Prahar Janshakti Party head of communication, advocate Ajay Tapkeer.

The protestors were detained and taken to Bandra police station. Last week, actor Shah Rukh Khan too saw protests against him for the same reason, leading the Mumbai police to heighten security around his residence, Mannat in Bandra.