The Politics Behind IPL Controversy Over Bangladeshi Player In KKR

BJP leader Sangeet Singh Som today welcomed the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision instructing Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Muztafizur Rahman amid the ongoing violence against Hindus in the neighbouring country. Som also said SRK has understood not to go against "Sanatanis".

In an interview with NDTV, Som thanked the BCCI and the government for taking this decision considering the feelings of Sanatanis and Hindus all over the world.

"The BCCI has also sent a message that you cannot take any such decision," he added.

"You also know that this was the decision of KKR and KKR only bought the team. Because the team is bought only by the company, the franchise. And it came to the knowledge of the BCCI. You see, the BCCI has done the work of removing him," Som said.

"This was an old pool [for auction]; it was not made new. And since the auction has now taken place, SRK should have understood that if you do it in this way, then the feelings of hundreds of millions of Hindus in the country will be hurt," he said.

"That is why I called them traitors. I am saying this again that many, many congratulations to the BCCI and the government that they took such a decision understanding the feelings of the people," he added.

The BCCI's decision to instruct Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman from their roster for IPL 2026 season also says it will allow the franchise to replace the player.

BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia told news agency ANI that if KKR asks for any replacement, it will be allowed.

The inclusion of the Bangladesh player had kicked up a political storm especially in context of the recent targeting of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Earlier, spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur criticised SRK over the inclusion of the Bangladesh player in his co-owned KKR team for the IPL.

He sent sharp comments against the Bollywood actor and the management of KKR. The three-time champions Kolkata acquired right-arm pacer Mustafizur for a massive amount of Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL auction.

Devkinandan Thakur said Hindus in Bangladesh were facing extreme atrocities.

"In Bangladesh, Hindus are being brutally murdered, their homes are being burned, and their sisters and daughters are being raped. After witnessing such brutal killings, how can someone be so heartless, especially someone who calls himself the owner of a team? How can he be so cruel as to include a cricketer from that very country in his team?" he said.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday, however, said cricket should not be linked to attacks on minorities in Bangladesh as he reacted to criticism over the selection of the Bangladeshi player by the IPL franchise.

"I honestly don't think cricket should be made to carry the burden of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. My view is clear that we should try to insulate some areas from others," he said.

Tharoor said India has been engaging with Bangladesh and urging it to protect and look after minorities, and that such messaging should continue.

"But Mustafizur Rahman is a cricketer and has nothing to do with any of these things. He has not been personally accused of hate speech or attacks, or of condoning or defending such acts. He is a sportsman, and mixing these two things is simply not fair," Tharoor said.