Parrikar slams Tendulkar to justify MLAs' Brazil junket

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has slammed Bharat Ratna awardee Sachin Tendulkar to justify a Rs.89 lakh junket for six legislators, including three ministers, to witness the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Parrikar Thursday backed his decision to send only ruling party politicians to the World Cup on the all-expenses paid international junket.

Parrikar gave the Tendulkar analogy subsequently, while defending his decision to send only politicians. They, according to him, are the potential organisers of international events and not Goan footballing legends and coaches.

"Sachin Tendulkar is a good player, but he could not become a good captain. Organisation is a different ball game," Parrikar said.

Parrikar claimed that ministers can be given responsibility for organising mega sporting events and not the players "because no one would listen to them".

Tendulkar, who retired from all forms of cricket recently, is one of the world's greatest cricketers and has been credited by cricket pundits for having not only virtually unmatched talent, but also a fine cricketing mind.

Tendulkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, for his services rendered in the field of cricket.

With the Opposition coming down heavily on Goa's decision to organise and pay for the junket, the state government's has been caught on the backfoot over the issue in which Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, Power Minister Milind Naik and legislators Carlos Almeida, Glen Ticlo (both from the BJP) and Benjamin Silva (Independent MLA supporting the government) are scheduled to leave for Brazil July 1.

They will watch the quarter-finals and the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup.

The Opposition has slammed the junket with state Congress president John Fernandes demanding that the six ruling legislators should either cancel the trip or lawmakers should pay from their own pockets for their trip to Brazil and back.