Telangana brand ambassador Sania Mirza finally issues a statement on the raging controversy over her appointment. After refusing to comment initially, Sania today said, "I strongly condemn attempts by any person to brand me an outsider. My family belongs to Hyderabad for more than a century. I will always be an Indian and remain an Indian. I believe precious time is being wasted over a petty issue."

The statement came in the wake of Telangana BJP leader K Laxman flaying the TRS government's decision to appoint the tennis star as brand ambassador of the newly carved-out state, terming her as "daughter-in-law" of Pakistan and questioning her credentials for the honour.

Sania was born in Maharashtra and settled in Hyderabad only later and, hence, is a "non-local", he said and sought to dub her as "daughter-in-law" of Pakistan, pointing out that she was married to that country's cricketer Shoaib Malik.

The 27-year-old tennis player had never participated in agitation for a separate state of Telangana, said Laxman who is leader of BJP in Telangana legislative assembly. Laxman accused the government of taking the step with an eye on the minority community votes in upcoming elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.