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The fundies love Sania Mirza
January 20, 2008 | 27 Comments
Why? She represents everything that they are not. Besides, she is an easy target.
Young. Glamorous. Successful. Muslim. Woman.
Sania @ the 2007 Australian Open. Wikimedia Commons
Sania Mirza has been a professional tennis player for four years.
Her list of accomplishments representing India is impressive. Hailing from a nation known mostly for team sporting achievements (notably cricket and hockey), she has broken through to the top echelons of a very tough individual sport.
In a nation where a woman’s position is often secondary, she has achieved many firsts in the international arena.
Also, in such a short span of time she has had to deal with a string of controversies.
Fatwas were issued claiming that she was wearing “inappropriate” Islamic dress. Some quarters went on to say that she would be a “corrupting influence to the youth”. Au contraire. Her influence on today’s youth is hugely positive. Especially among young girls aspiring to achieve and who are hungry for positive role models.
As for her dress, it was “appropriate” tennis attire in our opinion. The mobility on the court would be hampered while facing a 120 mph tennis ball wearing a burqa.
Then it was a misquote claiming that she endorsed pre-marital sex. Effigies were burnt (seems to be quite a cottage industry in effigies these days. Gandhi would be proud!), protest marches were held, and apologies were demanded.
VHP leader Acharya Dharmendra – “she is trying to destroy the institutions like marriage and other social institutions by saying certain things which are beyond imagination”
…the VHP leader also supported RSS supremo K S Sudarshan’s suggestion that Hindus should have at least three children to multiply the community population and said, “when we cannot control the population of the minorities, to maintain the balance between the minority and the majority, Hindu women should be prepared for more labour pains”.
…If we cannot check the population of minorities through good efforts, we should increase our (Hindu) population
The irony about this claim and the subsequent reaction by RSS/VHP, was that these same quadrants of our progressive society claim that India does not have an AIDS problem, when in fact it is the nation with the largest number of AIDS cases. It is an attempt to systematically undermine any progress in this arena, in the guise of “Hindu” morality. Pre-marital and extra-marital sex has been around long before Sania showed up and twisting her words is not helping.
To her credit Sania stood up to the hecklers. But the latest controversy where she was served with a court case because she was pictured with here feet up “close” to the Indian Flag, just takes the cake.
Charged under the Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act (a jailable offense), this move smacks of arrogance and moral turpitude. She has only done the country proud. What have these fringe elements in our society done?
Who are these people dragging her into these controversies? They all share some common characteristics.
- They have not achieved anything meaningful in their lives.
– They are often affiliated to fundamentalist sections of organized religions. They profess a great mastery of traditions, although when probed can’t clearly state what tradition means.
– They like privacy in their own murky lives but do not want to respect the privacy of others.
– They are usually male torchbearers of the patriarchy. They are typically old enough to be Sania’s uncle, father, or grandfather but such hypocrites, that I wouldn’t even wish them to be uncles or fathers or grandfathers of my enemies.
Sania recently confessed that she has entertained the thought of quitting sport and getting away from the public glare because of these controversies. It would be a sad day, not just for Indian sport, but for India in general, if that ever comes to pass.
Leave Sania alone.
- Jai
Filed Under: controversy, fundie-watch, MUSINGS, Politics, sania mirza, tennis
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27 Comments
as usual, great writeup, jai. you bring to the fore something that has bothered many talented women who have accomplished a lot, yet are subjected to insulting comments from others who can never hope to do a fraction of what they have done. thanks for bringing this up. :nono:
Hm Jai
Its definitely sad, the way controversies dog her. I’m sure at an emotional level, for her age, its a lot to deal with. Of course, to have come this far, being Indian and all, is immensely commendable. But…….but I dont think she was a superior player. She has become an Indian version of Kournikova. Her game is not technically outstanding.
So, with all this politics piled on her, there’s little hope that she will get to working on improving her game.
-altoid
Rats. She lost to Venus Williams at the Aussie Open . No dishonor in that but still, for once, I was hoping she would get to the quarters at least….
I wonder where all these ‘defenders of indian culture’ were hiding when P T Usha sped down the track in shorts?
Or is it restricted to attractive muslim girls?
Rather than defend Indian culture, I wish they would actually practise it – you know the part about ‘Satyam Vada’ etc…?
the dress code seems to be more the muslim fundies’ problem. reproduction seems to be a specialty of both hindu and muslim fundies. – j
I have seen people in other countries, wearing their national flag as under garments during sports events. Does that mean they are unpatriotic? Don’t know what this will lead to. Another face of India lost?
yeah, read about the controversy!! Sania actually said she would think of relocating and playing for some other country if people in India cannot value and respect her, and I totally agree with her!! They did the same thing when Sachin was seen cutting a cake in an event shaped like Indian flag…man, don’t people have better things to do??!!
My sister who is running her own Siddha hospital for the past ten years in Chennai’s prime locality had faced so many such issues. I have personally observed how much determination one female should possess to stand against these odds and iff Sania is leaving her heart loving sport for these junk oddities its a flaw in her determination and nothing else. She should not and will not I suppose!
Leave her alone! I agree she represents so much for India and I wish people would get off there high horses and leave her alone! Great one Jai!
Indians move ahead despite India…why only sports, we have a penchant for demonising and demoralising anyone who is successful or even anywhere near it…all this is a byproduct of the population problem, which Acharya wants to multiply, so that for their rath yatras and the morchas, they will have enough people gathered…too many idle people, with too much time in their hands…
Must you wake me up from a happy state of denial this early in the am?
Goes back to happy dreams ..tying up the Acharya while Sania hurls tennis balls at the speed of 120 mph at him.
good one!
she played well against venus in the 3rd round, though….
Good Monday morning to ya!:)
That girl is great, I am proud of her. Those people just need to GROW UP!! It is that kinda people who acts “saintly” who do the most heinous things in life! :tongue:
Jai, very well said…I didn’t get the point in the latest controversy about national flag.
I wanted to make a cake representing Indian flag for Republic day, after this incident, I am so scared to do it now
(I know these people go behind just famous people, but who wants to take the risk 
)
bake the cake. don’t cut it. let it get really rotten and smelly. then mail it to the acharya. like that package from the movie pushpak :devil: – b.
Shilpa :laugh: – you’re very famous in the blog world, now let’s look for some fundies here.
This is probably comment hijack, couldn’t resist!
;;)
shilpa, sra, you gals are surely something :laugh:…
jai, that was a really fine piece…if only we had more like minded people…feel sorry for the poor girl( I admire her so much).
I totally agree with you on this!! Hard to believe that people are so jobless….
I have been barking about the AIDS figures to everyone who talks about “Indian Culture ” – Cannot agree with you more.
These are morons who ridicule people like Richard Gere – not celebrating him for his contributions but for kissing a girl in public which is perfectly legal in any country.
Way to promote sports in India! and way to promote Indian culture!
Thanks for this post and for shedding some light on what Sania Mirza is facing, for those who don’t know. She is an example to young women.
First ever Indian Woman to enter mainstream tennis and as you said she achieved more than anyone being so many firsts and here she was proudly showing where she came from and there she is where people from her own country are literally dragging her down. I pity those who doesn’t have a LIFE!!!
Jai hats off to you, U always put some thought in everyone’s mind!!thanks!!
So true Jai, Agree with u 100%.. Poor Girl.. she is trying so hard to play good sport. and these ppl are just behind her.. :frustrate
Haath Dhoke Peeche Padgaye yaar!.. abhi to uss ladki ko chodho aur kisi aur ko pakdo! :devil:
~Siri
hey all,
this is my first visit to this website.
Nice to see all your comments.Wondering whether this site is only for Girls!!!(not seeing any comment from guys!).
hey all,
when i was going thro’ the VHP leader’s sayings,i was shocked. :rolleyes:
And i dont understand, how they are thinking like this, and why they ar spoiling the younger generation too.
Being a Hindu, Even i couldn’t digest his(K.S.S) thoughts,then how other people will take this!! :fume:
This is how all these politicians are trying to make serious (unwanted) issues.
Pls Pls Pls ….I beg all the youngsters to not to give value for all these Leader’s(!) words:nono:.
Atleast in our generation, we will try to make a real Republic India.
have a nice day jai and bee.
“They have not achieved anything meaningful in their lives.”
- Thats all you need to say. That sums it up! Idiots!
Regarding the last picture: I feel like, the flag is close to the lens. If it’s really in front of Sania, I think she should be more careful. She’s not just an ordinary citizen, she’s watched. How many times I saw Indian Flag in streets, many walking over it! (Usually Aug 16th and Jan 27th, all those kids purchase plastic flags for some procession and then leave it just like that!)
I think you missed a few other controversies. There was one, when she told she like Shoaib Akthar(actually she mentioned many others including Sachin, but only Shoaib was picked!). Suddenly media reminds us that she’s Muslim and she said in open she like a Muslim player from a Muslim country. Too bad…
I saw an interview of her in NDTV. A very positive girl. Really making all of us proud.
Forgot to tell, very interesting post… well written.
OT: I dont know what the Muslim priests thinking. It will be interesting if they can demonstrate how girls can play Tennis wearing Purda!
Haree | ???
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Very nice post Jai!
People want to ride on others’ success and make a name for themselves -in one way or the other.
i love sania mirza,she is an :angel: