Hyderabad: The contentious Sania Mirza issue got a fresh dimension on Friday with Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Telangana State Legislative Council Shabbir Ali complaining in writing to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the adverse comments made by party MP V. Hanumantha Rao against the tennis star’s appointment as brand ambassador of Telangana.
Shabbir Ali said, “Hanumantha Rao not only opposed the move of appointment of Sania Mirza but joined the BJP chorus in describing her as the daughter-in-law of Pakistan. By making such a comment he has not only supported BJP’s views but also presented a tainted picture of the Congress among the masses, especially Hyderabadis.”
The state Congress leader pointed out that it was due to such mistakes that the party had suffered a setback in the recent elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha in Telangana.
Mr Hanumantha Rao’s controversial statements on issues involving minorities have distanced Muslims from the Congress. Despite being a senior politician, he was reduced to the fourth position and even lost his deposit in the Amberpet Assembly polls.
Mr Shabbir Ali has asked the Congress president to take immediate steps in this regard as Hanumantha Rao’s statement was communal, factually incorrect and aimed at hurting the sentiments of minorities. It will further harm the Congress.
“When Amitabh Bachchan hailing from UP is the brand ambassador for Gujarat, Sharukh Khan from Delhi for West Bengal and Hema Malini from Tamil Nadu for Uttarakhand, how is it not possible for Sania Mirza, who is a known Hyderabadi, to be the ambassador for Telangana,” Mr Shabbir Ali asked.
