Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar is a joke: JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari

New Delhi: Senior Janata Dal (United) leader Shivanand Tiwari on Monday questioned the government's decision to award the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, to just retired batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

He said giving the Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar, who has earned millions from playing the sport of cricket, was nothing more than a joke, and added that there were far more deserving candidates for the coveted and prestigious award.

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"The Bharat Ratna has become a joke. It should be abolished. It has no significance now. Tendulkar has not played cricket for free. He has earned thousands of crores," Tiwari said.

He asked: "Why was (Major) Dhyanchand not considered for the Bharat Ratna?". The politician was referring to the former hockey wizard.

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Shiv Sena objected to the senior JD(U) leader's remarks.

"Even otherwise, Sachin is India's Bharat Ratna. Does Tiwari suggest we give it to Lalu Yadav instead?" Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.

"Tiwari has no right to speak on Tendulkar. Sachin is part of India's identity, Shivanand Tiwari is not," he said.

Raut demanded that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee should also be awarded a Bharat Ratna.

"If Rajiv Gandhi can get it then why not Vajpayee?" he said. "Those who are demanding the award for Vajpayee are not opposed to Sachin Tendulkar getting it," he said.

The JD(U) and Sena were longstanding partners in the BJP-led NDA.

The government on Saturday announced that Tendulkar will be awarded the Bharat Ratna for his contributions to the sport.

The announcement was made through a press note issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

The press note said: "The President of India has been pleased to award the Bharat Ratna to Shri Sachin Tendulkar."

Tendulkar, who retired on that day after playing his last and 200th Test, has become the first sportsperson and youngest to get the Bharat Ratna.

The announcement of the award was described by one and all as a timely and befitting tribute to the legendary player, who has contributed immensely to the game of cricket. They said that it was appropriate that after he bid farewell to the game of cricket, the government had taken the initiative to give him the award.

On Friday, veteran playback singer Lata Mangeshkar said Tendulkar deserved the Bharat Ratna and added that he could have carried on playing for at least another year.

Mangeskar, a Bharat Ratna awardee herself, said: "Whatever he (Sachin) has done for the country, very few people can. He deserves the honour. He has made all of us proud."

She urged Tendulkar to consider opening a cricket academy and to impart his amazing knowledge to youngsters.

Last year, the BCCI had not recommended Tendulkar's name, and there was intense speculation then whether the batting maestro would miss out on the prestigious award.

The sports ministry had then forwarded the names of hockey legend Dhyanchand, Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and mountaineer Tenzing Norgay for the award to the home ministry and the Prime Minister.

The BCCI then maintained that no recommendation from the Board was required for Tendulkar's name to be considered for the honour.

BCCI president N.Srinivasan had said then that he personally thought Tendulkar deserved the Bharat Ratna.

The scope of the Bharat Ratna, which was earlier restricted to the field of 'exceptional services in arts, literature and science, and in recognition of public services of the highest order' has been recently expanded to include the performance of the highest order 'in any field of human endeavour' which has enabled sportspersons to dream of the honour.