Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha said that she respects the decision of the Telangana Government to appoint tennis star Sania Mirza as the state's brand ambassador, and added that there was no question of the latter not being seen as a citizen of India.
K Kavitha told ANI, "We have generally seen this kind of competitive spirit in sportsmen which is good. It feels good that everyone is trying to be the brand ambassador of Telangana. But whatever decision Telangana government has taken must be a well thought one. They must have checked the background as well."
Defending the Telangana Government's decision, she said, "Respecting the Telangana government's decision all I want to say to all the sportsperson is that whosoever is in Telangana will play from its side, be it any sport. The government will completely support them irrespective of the fact that they bear the tag of brand ambassador or not."
"Indian government has given many awards to her (Sania Mirza). We have never said that she is not the citizen of India. As per my knowledge of sports she plays from India's team. So, the decision taken is not wrong," she added.
Supporting the Telangana Government's decision of making Sania Mirza the brand ambassador of Telangana, Congress president Professor Saifuddin Soz said, "Sania Mirza is a brand ambassador and a good player, just needs respect. Any kind of discrimination should not be made between players."
"She plays from India, for India. She has done immense proud to the country. There is no doubt in that," he added.
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Opposing the whole issue, Congress MP from Telangana, V Hanumantha Rao said, "BJP and I have two different says on Telangana issue. If Andhra government is giving fee reimbursement only to people who were born before 1956, it means that they are very strong on Telangana issue."
"You are very particular of who has been born and brought up in Telangana, and only specific children will get opportunity of fee reimbursement. At that time if a lady who has married a Pakistani person is made brand ambassador, then people will not appreciate it.
She has never fought for Telangana so how can she be made the ambassador," he added.
Sania Mirza was declared the ambassador of the newly formed state of Telangana recently, but Telangana BJP leader K Laxman opposed her appointment, saying that she was Pakistan's daughter-in-law.
