CLAIM
A photo of former international cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, wearing a saffron-coloured kurta is doing the rounds on Facebook groups particularly related to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the narrative that he has now joined the party.
TRUE OR FALSE?
The claim is false. Had someone of Tendulkar’s stature decided to join a political party, it would have surely made headlines with prime-time media coverage.
However, there are no reports on Tendulkar having associated with any party.
TRUTH BEHIND THE PICTURE
A reverse image search of Sachin’s photo from the viral post showed that it is from 2015, when the former cricketer visited the Siddhivinayak temple for his 42nd birthday.
The temple’s website listed Tendulkar and his family as the ‘visitor of the day’ on 24 April 2015, which is where the photo is from as well.
Tendulkar is an ardent devotee of Siddhivinayak, having visited the temple again on 23 May 2017, to receive blessings before the release of his film ‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams.’
TENDULKAR’S STINT AS A PARLIAMENTARIAN
Though not associated with any party, Tendulkar was among the 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha in 2012. His debut speech on ‘the right to play and future of sports in India’ in the Parliament made headlines when the Opposition’s uproar against the government did not let the master blaster complete his speech.
Tendulkar’s term as Rajya Sabha MP ended in April 2018.
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