Author: IANS
Publication: Earthtimes.org
Date: December 13, 2007
URL: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/158282.html
Tennis sensation Sania Mirza Thursday apologized
for shooting a commercial in the historic Mecca Masjid here even as police
registered a case against her and an advertising agency for trespass.
In a letter addressed to the priest of the
mosque, Sania tendered apology to 'all brothers and sisters' and are spected
elders' for hurting their religious sentiments by entering the mosque.
'I would like to apologise to all my brothers
and sisters and respected elders who are anguished by my unwittingly entering
a portion of the land belonging to the Mecca Masjid while filming the Charminar
with the intention of promoting the heritage monument which is symbolic of
our city,' she said.
The player wrote that she was assured by the
ad agency that they had secured permission for the shoot in the mosque.
'While I am fully aware that a woman must
not enter the mosque, I was unaware that even entering the outside gates was
seriously objectionable,' she said.
The copies of the letter were released to
the press by the city police commissioner's office here Thursday night.
Earlier in the day, the Hussainialam police
station registered a case of trespass against Sania and the advertising agency
on a complaint by the minority welfare department.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Charminar)
B. Reddenna said the department had complained that Sania and the ad agency
shot the commercial in the mosque without its permission.
The minority welfare department is responsible
for the upkeep of the 17th century mosque located near Charminar, Hyderabad's
most famous monument.
Hyderabad district minority welfare officer
Kareemulla had Tuesday lodged a complaint with the police that the commercial
was shot without permission.
The shooting evoked protest from the Majlis-e-Ittehadul
Muslimeen (MIM), a political party enjoying widespread support in the Muslim-majority
old city, and from a section of people, who alleged that Sania and the agency
had hurt their religious sentiments.
Mosque officials pointed out that the shooting
of films and commercials was not permitted in the mosque premises.
