BJP MLA Raja Singh calls Sania Mirza ‘Pakistan’s bahu’, seeks her removal as Telangana brand ambassador

Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Raja Singh on Monday stoked a controversy when he sought the removal of Indian tennis star Sania Mirza as the brand ambassador of Telangana.

Calling Mirza “Pakistan’s daughter-in-law”, the Telangana Assembly member said Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao must immediately remove Mirza as the state’s brand ambassador in the wake of the terror attack in Pulwama February 14 that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.

“We don’t need a Pakistani bahu as the brand ambassador of Telangana,” said Singh, who represents Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad. Mirza married Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in 2010.
The BJP MLA feels that Sania Mirza’s removal as the brand ambassador will send a stern message to Pakistan over its involvement in terror activities.

Singh said the Telangana government should also take the step to convey strong sentiments of the Indian citizens to Pakistan while the Centre was resorting to a series of tough measures against the neighbouring country.

He further came up with a suggestion that the Telangana government could appoint any other player as its brand ambassador.

“We have cricketer VVS Laxman and badminton stars Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu, who are also from Telangana and who have brought many laurels to the state and to the country,” he added.

Telangana had announced Sania Mirza’s name as the brand ambassador in July 2014. At that time, BJP leader in Telangana Assembly K Laxman had called Mirza “non-local” and “Pakistan’s daughter-in-law” raising a question mark on her credentials to represent the state.

Sania Mirza had reacted to Laxman’s comment, saying that though she was married to a Pakistani, she would remain an Indian until the end.

Mirza had on Sunday termed February 14, the day of the Pulwama attack, as black day for India She had further called for praying for peace instead of spreading more hate. (Agencies)