Sania Mirza reacts to BJP’s Pakistan jibe

HYDERABAD: Renowned tennis star Sania Mirza reacted to the political controversy where she has been termed “Pakistan’s daughter-in-law” by a BJP legislator, after she was appointed Telangana’s brand ambassador.
Telangana BJP leader K. Laxman on Thursday critisized the TRS government’s decision to appoint Mirza as brand ambassador, terming her as “daughter-in-law” of Pakistan and questioning her credentials for the honor.
In a brief statement Mirza said: “Hurts me that so much precious time of prominent politicians and the media is being wasted on a petty issue. Precious time should be spent on solving the more urgent issues. I’m an Indian, who will remain an Indian until end of my life. My family belongs to Hyderabad for more than a century & I strongly condemn any attempts by any person to brand me an outsider.”
The 27-year-old Mirza had never participated in agitation for a separate state of Telangana, said Laxman who is leader of BJP in Telangana legislative assembly.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had appointed Sania as brand ambassador of Telangana, describing her as a daughter of Hyderabad.
“Telangana is proud of Sania who is a true Hyderabadi. She’s now ranked number five in international tennis and we wish she becomes the number one,” the chief minister had said on the occasion.