Indian tennis player and wife of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, Sania Mirza on Thursday responded to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader’s objection over her appointment as brand ambassador of Indian state Telangana, stating that she is an Indian and will remain so.
The BJP had criticised Telangana for appointing Mirza as its brand ambassador, saying that she was a non-local and "daughter-in-law" of Pakistan.
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
The ace tennis player took to Twitter to inform her fans about her stance on the issue. In a series of tweets, Mirza explained that her ancestors had been living in Hyderabad – capital of newly-carved Telangana state – for more than a century.
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.
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 24, 2014
I hope this clears all doubts and issues.
SANIA MIRZA
COMMENTS (56)
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hi all, from a non political point of view, a person can marry ne1 of his/her choice, take up citizenship of any country but that doesnot give the person the right to disrespect his/her country of birth. In Jan 2008 it was us the same ppl who accused her of disrespecting the Indian Flag, which evidently she did. Now how come a person who is disrespectful to Indian flag, be a brand ambassador of an Indian State. Also if Telengana govt is so pro sports then I should say there are n number of sports persons in India across various verticals who never see the face of limelight because our gov is too reluctant to see the potential in them. Sania has achieved a lot and financially she is sound, so if that 1 crore could hv been spent on general uplifting of various sports categories rather than show business, we could hv seen a better india
@Shabir: Women dont belong to men.
@globalobserver:
Please don't make it a general comment for all Pakistani. I am also a Pakistani but I am not in favour of what Shabby is saying. There are people on both sides of the border who thinks ill of each country's people, but there are also people who don't. Many Indians and Many Pakistanis are able to see how these events and these one liner comments followed by out-of-situtaion critics are simply aggravating the apparent hate. There are good and bad people, but that doesn't make the whole nation bad.
@Weirdity
Yes for sure if we could look at it without any bias. But I am confident that you also understand the role tone of uttering a word plays in making meaning out of it. No terms are unbiased, they only make sense in the way they are pronounced and the situation in which they are used. Think about it.
@globalobserver: This ain't a Bollywood movie where you think unrealistic scenarios can happen. Pakistani Men and Indian women that's the way its supposed to go, the other way sounds really unrealistic and stupid.
@WB: Yet she married a Paki, I know it hurts for you jealous Indians.
@Shabir: I wonder if a Malaysian woman marraies an Australian man, she will become daughter-in-law of Australia?? Really? or for that matter that matter the man will become son-in-law of Malaysia. Wow. I have heard when you marry you adopt a whole family. Adopting a whole country and its politics is quite new.. huh! we need to think what media and country politics makes us think vs what reality is.
@Shabby:
"Although I despise Shoaib Malik as a cricketer, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for him because of the fact that he copulated with India’s biggest female superstar"
Not surprising comment coming from a Pakistani considering how the Pak army "ethnically cleansed/raped/copulated) several hundred thousand Bengali women in1971. When are you going to change your medieval Muslim invader mentality of enjoying raping women captured in wars?
@Desi Spider:
"Muslims in India will always have to prove their loyalty, this is a side effect of two nation theory."
There is some truth to that since Indians Muslims, even those who stayed behind, supported the two-nation theory and the partition.
"That theory basically took away the right of majority of Muslims in India to live freely."
That is not true. The Indian constitution guarantees, unlike Pakistan, equal status to all Indians regardless of their religion.
Sania has never expressed any interest in becoming a Pakistani or move to Pakistan with her husband. If she feels she is a Indian, then she is Indian. The matter should end right there.
Just curious. How would Pakistanis react if a famous Pakistani woman marries an Indian and then nominated to be brand ambassador of, say, Karachi or Lahore?
@BlackJack: The Indian mindset only approves such a relationship, if the dude is Indian, and the girl Pakistani, a la veer zara or ek tha tiger. Come REAL life senarios, and the true indian colors begin to show shamelessly.
@Fahad Zia: "Sania cannot become a Pakistani, you need to score ‘above average’ in the looks category to be a Pakistani.."
Are you saying that Veena Mailk is not a Pakistani? :-)
"Pakistans daughter-in-law". If you look at that term without any bias, its factually true and under normal circumstances not any sort of insult. That an innocuous term like this is taken as an insult is the real story. The politician was playing for the anti-pakistan bias among his voters but if taken out of that context, its a innocuous term. Looks like Sania Mirza is not comfortable being associated with Pakistan in this way.
The sort of comments by Pakistanis like "Indians smell like curry" or that "Pakistanis are better looking" is the kind that makes Pakistanis sound like they have less than average I.Q. If they want to gain respectability, they should shun from making such statements. India is huge. More than a billion people. So, it is impossible to stereotype anyone. There are people who are very fair to very dark even within one family! There are some very beautiful people and some very ugly! There are some people in India who have not heard of curry. I live in US and I feel amazed when i hear such statements often made by Pakistanis in various forums. They seem to think they can intimidate Indians and make them feel bad by making such statements. Believe me, nobody feels intimidated. Some of us are only amused. I also have a story to tell. I hope it is not intimidating but reflects the truth. I met a resident student who worked under me in a hospital where I was an attending at the time and asked her where she was from. She looked like she was from South Asia. She said she was from Punjab. I was amused. Punjab is not a country. When pressed, she continued to reply that she was from Punjab. Later i learnt she was from Pakistan. Some Pakistanis refuse to even own up their country when they are abroad! Think about it. Set your own place in order before you start being critical.
In all fairness, I think Telengana has nothing better than Sania Mirza to sell but the real question is: does she deserve to be the brand ambassador of this newly carved state? I do not think so. She is well past her glory and has done little in the way of putting her state's interests before her own. Also, I believe she lives with her husband in Dubai and visits Hyderabad. That being so, how does she represent Hyderabad as a brand ambassador? Anyway, puny little matter raked up by a puny little politician.
One thing we can be sure is whatever happens ..no matter how much abuse is hurled at her by these political goons still she will remain an Indian coz she knows there is no future with Pakistan ..same thing we Kashmiris know that we do not have any future with a bankrupt nation like Pak
@Ali - Its always better to smell like turmeric rather than gunpowder.. Hope you get the point...
@Ali. I: Atleast she didnt ask him if he was osama's relative....
@Fahad Zia:
that might burn a little
Hahaha...Nobody know the real reason here...Just shut up guys...These are silly little issues...We do not fight...only arguments take place...Please do not drag nationalities, religion etc in to this...We are a happy country :-)...We love our country
@Ali. I: Smelling like curry point is well taken.We South Asians do smell since we use a lot spices in our food. But prey so do a Pakistani ...don't single us out..we are partners in the same crime.
Second, in this age of globalization everyone is mixing.Rather white gals are marrying Indians as they are educated high earning professionals (in States, UK etc). So all hope is not lost :)
This is secular India ladies and gentlemen!
Sania used to earn hundreds of crores in endorsements and she was only next to Tendulkar at one point in time. But after her marriage, every major sponsor dumped her. It also coincided with a slump in her tennis form too. So we hardly know she exists.
Dunya kahaan se kahaan pahunch gai hai, and these people are stuck with these small issues, narrow mindedness.
@ehsan. She's born and brought up in india grown up with indian culture and values, is a patriotic indian and holds an indian passport. As she sed "I am an indian, who will remain indian untill the end of my life". @desi spider. It's more than that.. They wanted someone from telanagana state. Who fought for the cause of new state.. She is born in maharastra and only later settled in Hyderabad. (An outsider) never fought for telengana cause.And now married a foreigner. Btw even modi was called an outsider, politicians of different states told him this ain't your gujarat don't comment on our state politics go back to your state when he campaigned there for PM. So was sonia gandhi who is still an outsider for most. It has nothing to do with being Muslim. But more of issue based vote bank politics. They want someone born and brought up from telanagana.
Can an Indian women get a Pakistan pass port if she is married to apakistan national?
I know it is a racist comment but "Most Mirza's living in hyderabad are living in india since just 5 or 6 generations. Migrated from central asia in 18th or 19 th century ... In that sense, shoaib malick has more claim to be an indian than sania mirza.
Muslims in India will always have to prove their loyalty, this is a side effect of two nation theory. That theory basically took away the right of majority of Muslims in India to live freely.
@Pak,
It doesn't matter what she think about me as I didn't need to know that. You should have make yourself understood with my comment rather than criticising my degree.
People like you need to attend some English classes mate.
@WB: a marriage isn't a matter for state, it can only be so for the mentally retards
@Ali. I:
do you think that girl would think any different about us? You sure need some education mate .. Not just a piece of paper called degree.
@Shabir: Women don't belong to their husbands OK? Get out of your primitive mentality.
@Pity: Why must you give it a communal twist by talking about Muslims who, by no means, are referred to in this case. India has more Muslims than Pakistan, and believe you me, they are much, much happier (despite their issues, as Pakistani media loves to play up for communal reasons) than the entire Muslim population of Pakistan. The argument here is that BJP wants someone, a local native, from Telangana (a newly-formed state) to be appointed the ambassador. The reference to Pakistan's "daughter-in-law", however, suggests the "we-should-do-something-first-for-our-own-people" attitude than for outsiders. It is more nationalistic rather than a religious leaning. But Sania Mirza's response, unlike that of many biased and resentful Pakistani readers, reflects a sense of maturity: she is Indian first and will remain so till the end of her life. Now what is wrong with that?! This is even the attitude of many Indians who have become billionaires and adopted foreign citizenship (such as in the USA or of any European country) but they remain, deep in their hearts, Indians for life. There is a saying: You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of him!
@Pity: How that is an anti muslim stance?
@Shabby: ....and when I talk about copulation, I do it because the majority of semi literate Indians would think in this manner And you think in this manner because...? Guess you can't help it.
Brave woman. She know how to respond biasd and anti Pakistan language of BJP who are not only anty Pakistan but anty muslims. BJP should understand that now they are the ruling party of a big democractic country and should behave like true democrates.
When I was studying in Swinburne University in Melbourne, I have a Indian friend in my MBA class who was trying to date with a white girl. After trying numerous time with different techniques, the response he get was; oh no you smell like turmeric;) hahaha...
Unfortunately that's the case with most of my Indian friends. If Sania dosn't pick anyone from India and married with a Pakistani it dosn't mean she is not an Indian anymore.
Get some life friends it's 21st Centuary.
@Fahad Zia: On a scale of Mathira to Angelina Jolie, Sania Mirza still scores above the average. :p
BJP's is always against Muslims and they always give such statements.
@WB: Your hate is showing all over. May all your gods have pity on you.
@WB: Water bottle you are showing your hate comments again?
Although I despise Shoaib Malik as a cricketer, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for him because of the fact that he copulated with India's biggest female superstar (and when I talk about copulation, I do it because the majority of semi literate Indians would think in this manner
Sania cannot become a Pakistani, you need to score 'above average' in the looks category to be a Pakistani..
@shabir. She has an indian passport. Represent india on tennis tournament worldwide. Not your country's, apart from her mentioning were her loyalties lies.
@Shabir: which century are u living in?
@Shabir - She never denied that she is not pakistnai daughter in law.... all she clarified is that she is born indian and no one can take that away from her... Kapish!
Logically every pakistani's ancestors were indians at some point in time... #Justsaying
@Shabir: "women belong to husbands" ? Are you serious? Boy, do you need an education !
@Shabir: Women dont BELONG to their husbands. please change your medieval mindset. Secondly nationality of a person remains the same no matter which nationality you marry into. You can acquire the nationality of your spouse and may renounce your own nationality which has not happened in this case. Get some classes of general knowledge.
@Shabir "women belongs to their husbands" Oh wow! Kinda like livestock??? I'm sure many, especially women will disagree with your archaic statement.
@Shabir What a statement that women belongs to their husbands. They are humans.They have feelings and equal rights .Men down own them. Its a women choice even to change her name after marriage even.No one can force her to do so. Similary , its Sania's personal decision to be called as an Indian or a Pakistani. Secondly , native place never change . If i were a Pathan i would be called as Pathan no matter i live in Australia or so on.
Now, no one wants to be associated with pakistan... as it becomes a cuss word!
Tweets can't change the facts, women belongs to their husbands, so you are a Pakistani daughter-in-law.
What else can one expect from BJP Government? In their anti-Muslim stance, they have started going against their own citizens.