By IANS,
Mumbai : The Shiv Sena Friday spewed venom over tennis star Sania Mirza’s plans to marry cricketer Shoaib Malik, saying if she is a “true Indian” how can her “heart beat for a Pakistani?”.
“Her ‘palanquin’ will start from India and end in Pakistan, which is an enemy country in every respect, whether in the battlefield or sports arena,” Sena mouthpiece Saamna said in an editorial.
“Her ‘nikaah’ will be conducted in Hyderabad and the ‘daawat-e-walima’ will be held in Pakistan,” it said.
The newspaper noted that the Pakistan government quickly granted Sania and her family visas when many Indians, including top film stars and commoners, face a harrowing time securing a Pakistan visa.
“It appeared as if Pakistan was waiting for the Sania-Shoaib marriage!” it said.
“We have heard that ‘love is blind,’ but still we doubt if any Indian would really approve of the Sania-Shoaib marriage,” it added.
It pointed out that years ago, Bollywood star Reena Roy’s marriage with a Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan had collapsed.
“We are not saying that Shoaib Malik will turn out to be a traitor, but his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui has claimed, with evidence, that he has not yet divorced her,” the editorial said.
Sania and her father, Imran Mirza, have said that after marriage, she will continue to play tennis for India.
“Why so? After going to her in-laws, how can she continue to play for her father’s side? Marrying in Pakistan, becoming a citizen of that country and then merely playing tennis for India…..” the editorial pointed out.
The editorial said if Sania was so keen to play for India, she should have selected some Indian boy for marriage.
“This is ridiculous – marrying a Pakistani, but coming to India for name, fame, money and honours – this will not be tolerated,” the article warned.
“Sania Mirza, if your heart was truly Indian, it would not have beaten for a Pakistani,” it concluded.