Sachin Tendulkar Sworn-in as Rajya Sabha MP

Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was sworn-in as a Rajya Sabha MP on June 4, 2012. He becomes the first active sportsperson and cricketer to have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha under the Prominent Citizens Quota.

Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare congratulated Sachin saying ‘We welcome and congratulate him. Sachin should raise his voice against corruption and also against those who are not in favour of Lokpal. We will keep supporting him outside.’

Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni said Sachin will make a contribution as a Rajya Sabha member also. "This (Rajya Sabha) is a new avenue for him and I am sure he will do well and contribute there also," Dhoni said.

Amid all the fanfare, the nomination of Sachin had sparked a political slugfest with the opposition parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena saying that the timing of the nomination suggests that it is aimed at distracting attention from scams.