Friday, April 2, 2010

Sania’s heart beats for Pakistan, not India: Thackeray

Launching a severe attack on Indian tennis star Sania Mirza for her decision to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, the Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray came down heavily on her in his editorial published on Friday in Sena mouthpiece Saamna, stating that Sania Mirza’s heartbeats were pumping fast for Pakistan and not India.
“If Sania’s heart was an Indian, it would have not had the heart beats for Pakistan. Her patriotism for the country is only money and publicity. Here people are shedding blood for the country and religion, becoming martyrs and it’s Sania who has now forgotten her national patriotism and exhibited her love for Pakistan. Shame on you and your life,” Thackeray wrote in the editorial.
Thackeray further wrote “Sania cannot claim to be an Indian now. If she had a desire to play for India, then she could have selected an Indian as her husband. For marriage and money Sania focused on Pakistan and for publicity it’s India for her. This is not acceptable and will not work. Now if she had decided to marry Shoaib and going to Pakistan, than go play as much as you want in Pakistan.”
Thackeray said “from Shoaib’s point of view, India is still the arch enemy of Pakistan and the Pakistani cricketer had many love affairs in India and he had given many false assurances to many Indian girls to marry them.”
Thackeray expressed surprise at the speed visas were issued to the family of Sania to visit Pakistan and referred to the many obstacles that were created by the Pakistan government while issuing a visa to the acclaimed Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar.
Meanwhile, Sania also came under criticism from the Samajwadi Party legislator and Maharashtra state unit president, Abu Asim Azmi, who said in Mumbai on Friday that he did not support Sania’s marrying in Pakistan and then settling in Dubai and still representing India in the tennis courts.
“If she has to represent India, then she has to be settled in India and not Dubai,” Azmi said.

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