Summary Several politicians have also condemned the statement of BJP leader against Sania Mirza.
HYDERABAD (Web Desk) - The Indian tennis player and wife of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik Sania Mirza has condemned the latest remarks of BJP leader against her.
In her tweet, the tennis player said, “I strongly condemn any attempts by any person, whosoever, to brand me-an outsider.”
The BJP leader had questioned the credentials of Sania following her appointment as brand ambassador of Telangana.
Accroding to Zee News, K Laxman stated that Sania was born in Maharashtra and settled in Hyderabad only later and, hence, is a "non-local". He further sought to dub her as "daughter-in-law" of Pakistan, pointing out that she was married to that country's cricketer Shoaib Malik.
In another tweet, 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.”
“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”, she added.
Sania went on clarifying her appointment as brand ambassador of Telangana.
She said, “I was born in Mumbai as my mother needed to be at a specialist hospital since she was seriously unwell at the time of my birth. My forefathers have lived in Hyderabad for more than a century. My grandfather, Mr. Mohammed Zaffer Mirza started his career as an Engineer in Nizam's Railways in Hyderabad in 1948 and died in his ancestral home in Hyderabad. My great grandfather, Mr. Mohd. Ahmed Mirza was also born and raised in Hyderabad. He was the Chief Engineer, Water Works, Hyderabad and was responsible for constructing the famous Gandipet dam. My great, great grandfather, Mr. Aziz Mirza was the Home Secretary under the Nizam in Hyderabad and worked tirelessly for relief works-during the historic Musi River floods of 1908. So, my family belongs to Hyderabad for more than a century and I hope this clears all doubts and issues.”
Laxman, who is leader of BJP in Telangana Legislative Assembly, also said that the 27-year-old tennis player had never participated in agitation for a separate state of Telangana.
People from around the globe strongly reacted on twitter following the statement of BJP leader.
One of the persons tweeted, “If by marrying a Pakistani forfeits Indianness, then what was the big deal about Sonia Gandhi s Italian origins?”
Another tweeted, “Sania Mirza is a daughter of India. She has brought innumerable laurels to the country in the game of Tennis. She is a brand ambassador!”
