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Updated: Feb 18, 2019 18:09 IST

The lone BJP legislator in the Telangana assembly T Raja Singh on Monday demanded the removal of tennis star Sania Mirza as the brand ambassador of Telangana because she is a “bahu of Pakistan.”

Known for his controversial and inflammatory comments, Singh said in a video message to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that it was time India cut off all its links with Pakistan in every form.

Singh’s demand came after the suicide attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir last week in which at least 40 CRPF personnel travelling in a bus to Srinagar were killed by a suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammad.

“The way Pakistan-backed terrorists killed our brave Indian soldiers in an attack at Pulwama in Kashmir was unpardonable. The entire country has condemned the dastardly act perpetrated by our neighbouring country,” he said.

Appreciating KCR, as the chief minister is popularly called, for cancelling all his birthday celebrations on Sunday as a mark of tribute to the killed soldiers, the BJP MLA appealed to the chief minister to display the same spirit in removing Sania Mirza as Telangana’s brand ambassador.

He said Sania Mirza ceased to be Indian as she had married a Pakistani.

“When the Indian government is making every attempt to isolate Pakistan and cutting off all its relations with the country in every field, it is not appropriate to continue Sania, a Pakistani Bahu, as the state’s brand ambassador,” he said.

Sania Mirza got married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik in April 2010. And, the couple lives in Dubai most of the time. She gave birth to a baby boy in Hyderabad on October 30 last year.

Singh pointed out that there were other famous sportspersons from Telangana like cricketer VVS Laxman and badminton players Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, who had brought medals and laurels to the country.

Also read | RDX mix, more than one militant behind Pulwama attack

“You can make any one of them as the brand ambassador, but we don’t want a Pakistani Bahu in that post,” he asserted.

The Telangana government declared Sania Mirza as Telangana’s brand ambassador in July 2014. Since then, she has been participating in the official programmes in the capacity.

There was no immediate reaction from Sania Mirza to Singh’s demand.

However, on Sunday, she gave a strong reply on Twitter to her critics who trolled her for posting her picture in a modern dress at a time, they said, when the country was mourning the death of the CRPF soldiers in an alleged Pakistan-backed terror attack.

Sania Mirza alleged that she was being targeted by some “frustrated individuals” because she was a celebrity. She said she didn’t need to condemn an attack publicly or come and scream from rooftops or all over social media that she was against terrorism.

“We are against terrorism and anyone that spreads.., but I will still be praying for peace,” she had tweeted.

“I play for my country, sweat for it and that’s how I serve my country. I stand with the CRPF jawaans and their families, my heart goes out to them and they are our true heroes who protect our country.. 14th February was a black day for India and I hope we never have to see another day like this, no amount of condolences can make any of this better.. this day will not be forgotten and neither shall it be forgiven but YES I will stay pray for peace and you should too instead of spreading more hate,” she said.

Also read | India moves to isolate Pakistan globally after Pulwama attack