Now Sania's pre-marital sex comments trigger protests

Tennis star Sania Mirza's remarks on safe sex, "before or after marriage", have evoked sharp reactions in her hometown with some calling them "un-Islamic" and others demanding an apology.

A day after Sania backed Tamil film star Khushboo - who has been dragged to court for comments on pre-marital sex - activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) took to the streets at various places and set afire her posters.

A Muslim cleric, who had earlier termed Sania's on-court 'dress code as 'un-Islamic', also said if she had supported pre-marital sex she would have nothing to do with Islam.

"Fornication is a major sin in Islam. A Muslim man or woman can't even mingle freely before marriage, not to talk about having sex. If a Muslim promotes fornication, he or she is considered expelled from Islam," said Moulana Haseebul Hasan Siddiqui, general secretary, Sunni Ulema Board, an organisation of clerics.

He said protests from various organisations against Sania's remarks were a natural reaction.

"When we asked her to follow the Islamic dress code many people criticised us but today even those people are not happy with her statements. This is because pre-marital sex is not only against Islam but also against Indian and Asian traditions. If you promote sex before marriage there will be no difference between a man and an animal," he said.

Raising slogans of "Sania down down", protestors belonging to the ABVP in Visakhapatnam beat her posters with 'chappals' and set them afire. They demanded that she tender an apology for hurting Indian traditions by favouring sex before marriage.

"She has hurt the sentiments of Indian people. She should tender an apology for the comments," said a protestor.

Sania was quoted as saying at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in Delhi Wednesday: "So there are two issues here, safe sex and sex before marriage. You don't want me to tell you that you have to have safe sex, whether it is before or after marriage. Everyone must know what he or she is doing."

Some commoners also appeared to have taken offence.

"Her statement is uncalled for. We are a closed and traditional kind of society. Such statements will only send wrong messages to the youth, who are already exposed to many kind of media like Internet and films," said Subha, an employee with a private educational institute.

Hameed Ahmed, a student, said: "Her comments are highly condemnable. This is not only against Islam but also our Indian traditions based on high moral values."

"There was nothing shocking when a film actress said that there is nothing objectionable in sex before marriage but a young sports person like Sania has shocked us all by backing such views," he said.