Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has refused to accept the government bungalow he is entitled to as Rajya Sabha member, saying such a stay would be a waste of taxpayer's money.
"I am not keen on staying in any govt bungalow when I will be in Delhi for only a few days. I feel this would be a waste of tax payers money and it would be better if the bungalow is allotted to someone else who needs the bungalow more than me," he told CNN-IBN.
Tendulkar, who took oath as MP on Monday, said he would prefer to stay in a hotel in Delhi every time he is in Delhi.
"For me the honour of being nominated as a Rajya Sabha MP matters much more than the perks and privileges like being given a govt bungalow."
"Not taking a government bungalow would not affect my responsibilities as Rajya Sabha MP. I do hope to attend few days of Parliament in every session," the channel quoted him as saying in a release before leaving for London.
Ever since his nomination, there have been questions over whether he would be able to devote time for Parliament over his cricketing commitments.