Sachin Tendulkar lookalike Balvir Chand is recovering from a bout of typhoid in his village of Sahlon in Punjab, but the news of the Sachin Tendulkar-Bal Thackeray controversy has reached him.
Sachin Tendulkar lookalike Balvir Chand is recovering from a bout of typhoid in his village of Sahlon in Punjab, but the news of the Sachin Tendulkar-Bal Thackeray controversy has reached him.
"I did a television ad for a cement company with Sachin Tendulkar. He said nothing wrong. Like his batting, Sachin is spot on with his opinions too," said Chand.
Balvir, who earns his living in Mumbai working as a Sachin duplicate says, "I live in Punjab. But, even I say I am an Indian (Hindustani) first and a Punjab local after that.
After all, Punjab is in Hindustan, Hindustan is not in Punjab. It is the same with Mumbai, Mumbai is part of India or Hindustan."
PuzzledBalvir though is puzzled at Shiv Sena chief's angry words about Sachin. "I am perplexed at Balasaheb's words.
In fact, I have a great deal of respect for him. I know too that he is a big Sachin fan. So, these opinions are surprising and confusing."
Balvir left his town in 1999 after a corporate house took him to England for the World Cup. Balvir, who went in his capacity as a Sachin lookalike, has a wife and three children back in Punjab.
Adds Balvir, "Even Maharashtrians seem to have not voted for the Shiv Sena in the Assembly elections. They may be trying to win back lost ground by raking up this issue.
Sachin's statement is not a cheeky single. It is a six that has given divisive sentiments an almighty thwack and brought united Indians to their feet in applause."
