Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Author and columnist Shobhaa De came out in defence of tennis star Sania Mirza on Thursday and posed the following question - “Why are Muslim achievers in India told to wear patriotism on their sleeves?”
She also asked - “Why is Sania Mirza not daughter of India but daughter-in-law of Pakistan?”
De posted the above on the micro-blogging site Twitter -
Why are Muslim achievers in India told to wear patriotism on their sleeves?Why is Sania M not daughter of India but d-in-law of Pakistan?
— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) July 24, 2014
A Telangana BJP leader stoked a controversy over Mirza being made the new state`s brand ambassador, calling her Pakistan`s `daughter-in-law`, sparking outrage and drawing a fierce response from the tennis ace who said she will remain an Indian until the `end of her life`.
The comments by K Laxman, who also branded the 27-year- old tennis star as a `non-local` while questioning her appointment by the Telangana government, were roundly condemned by political parties who stressed that she is `our lady who belongs to Hyderabad`.
Describing Sania as the `daughter of Hyderabad`, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had on Tuesday appointed her as the state`s brand ambassador and handed over a cheque of Rs one crore.
"Sania was born in Maharashtra and settled in Hyderabad only later and, hence, is a non-local," Laxman, leader of BJP in the Telangana assembly, said in Hyderabad, PTI reported.
He also dubbed her as `daughter-in-law` of Pakistan, as she is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.
Sania, on her part, slammed attempts to tag her as an outsider and said her family had its roots in Hyderabad.
"My family belongs to Hyderabad for more than a century and I strongly condemn any attempts by any person, whosoever, to brand me an outsider," she said in a statement.
"It hurts me that so much precious time of prominent politicians and the media is being wasted on a petty issue of my being appointed the Brand Ambassador of my State of Telangana," Sania said.
"I am married to Mr Shoaib Malik, who is from Pakistan. I am an Indian, who will remain an Indian until the end of my life," she said.
Sania also posted a series of tweets on micro-blogging site Twitter regarding the controversy -
It hurts me that so much precious time of prominent politicians and the media is being wasted on a petty issue of my being-
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
appointed the Brand Ambassador of my State of Telangana.
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
1. I am married to Mr. Shoaib Malik, who is from Pakistan. I am an Indian, who will remain an Indian until the end of my life.
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
My forefathers have lived in Hyderabad for more than a century. My grandfather, Mr. Mohammed Zaffer Mirza started his career as an Engineer-
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
- in Nizam's Railways in Hyderabad in 1948 and died in his ancestral home in Hyderabad.
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
So, my family belongs to Hyderabad for more than a century and I strongly condemn any attempts by any person, whosoever, to brand me-
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
- an outsider.
I hope this clears all doubts and issues.
SANIA MIRZA
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
With PTI inputs
