Approached Sachin not for autograph but social cause: Aiyar

New Delhi Congress MP Mani Shakar Aiyar today said he approached Sachin Tendulkar during a Rajya Sabha sitting yesterday not to get an autograph as many members did but talked to him about a social cause both of them are promoting.

"The brief meeting was on a personal basis as Mr Aiyar is promoting the same cause, for which Mr Tendulkar has been recently appointed UNICEF Regional Brand Ambassador for Total Sanitation Campaign," a statement from Aiyar's office said.

Aiyar is hosting a lunch in honour of Sanchaita Gajapathi Raju who has recently won the Google Global Impact Challenge Award worth Rupees three crore for her untiring work in this field and he invited Tendulkar to the lunch, the statement said.

"As Mr Tendulkar said he was unable to attend the lunch, he kindly obliged Mr Aiyar by writing a short note of congratulations for Sanchaita," it said. The statement was in response to media reports that said many MPs, including Aiyar, queued up to get his autographs. Tendulkar was the cynosure of all eyes in Rajya Sabha yesterday when he attended the House for the first time during the current Winter Session of Parliament.