Mumbai: After a tearful farewell to legendary cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar in Mumbai on Thursday, Shiv Sena expressed distress over Sachin Tendulkar’s coach not being accorded a state funeral. Sena’s MP Sanjay Raut on Friday asked Sachin Tendulkar to boycott government programmes in future.
The coach Achrekar, 87, died in Mumbai on Wednesday evening after a heart attack following which thousands paid homage to the coach. Students such as Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Chandrakant Pandit, Balwinder Singh Sandhu and other first-class cricketers, trooped to the coach’s residence in Dadar and paid their last respects.
Today, #GuruPurnima, is the day we remember those who have taught us to be better versions of ourselves. Achrekar Sir, I couldn’t have done all this without you. 🙏 Don’t forget to thank your gurus and take their blessings. #AtulRanade and I just did. pic.twitter.com/FOS64baoB3
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 27, 2018
Taking to the microblogging site, Sanjay Raut tweeted “Why wasn’t Padma Shri and Dronacharya awardee Ramakant Acharekar given a state funeral and respect by the Maharashtra government? The government has shown complete disregard towards Ramakant Acharekar. Sachin Tendulkar should boycott government programmes henceforth.”
Why wasn't Padmashree and Dronacharya awardee Ramakant Acharekar given state funeral and respect by the Maharshtra government ? . The Government has shown complete disregard towards Ramakant acharekar . Sachin Tendulkar should boycott government programs henceforth .
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) January 3, 2019
Later Shiv Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, said “The government forgot to fulfil its responsibility and accord a state funeral to the great Acharya and blamed it on a communication gap. It is as much troubling as it is harrowing.”
Not being given a state funeral did not lessen Achrekar’s contribution to the game in any way but only exposed the inefficiency of the government, added Sena.