Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan is facing intense controversy over the inclusion of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman in his team. Khan is being branded a “traitor” and “anti-national” by politicians and pro-Hindu groups.
Amidst this, Shah Rukh Khan has found support from Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who believes that cricket should not be mixed with the issue of minority persecution in Bangladesh. On the other hand, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that the decision of whether or not to allow Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman to play in India should be left to the cricket board.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) paid a huge sum of Rs. 9.20 crore to sign Rahman, one of the most successful Bangladeshi fast-bowlers, in the IPL 2026 auction. Visuals and reports of violence against the minorities in Bangladesh have only become more frequent since then. In Bangladesh, minorities are suffering from insecurity due to the aggression of fundamentalists and violence in the name of religion. This has enraged a section of cricket fans.
Also read: Shah Rukh Khan tagged “anti-national” for purchasing Bangladeshi cricketer for KKR, Meera Rathore wants his tongue chopped off
Hindu nationalist groups are strongly opposing Mustafizur’s inclusion. The Agra district president of the All India Hindu Mahasabha, Meera Rathore, has even called for Shah Rukh Khan’s tongue to be chopped off! She has also announced a reward of Rs 1 Lakh for anyone who can accomplish this.
What did Shashi Tharoor say about the Mustafizur Rahman controversy?
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor believes that cricket should not ‘carry the burden’ of the attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, amid the controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman’s selection in the IPL.
“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. 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 told media on Friday.
Warning against the idea of boycotts in the sport, the Congress MP added, “If India becomes a country that isolates all its neighbours and says nobody should play with them, it will not do any good. We need a big heart and a big mind in this matter.”
BCCI will take the decision on this, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions: Mohammad Kaif
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif is of the opinion that whether to make Mustafizur Rahman play in the IPL or not should be the sole decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“The BCCI will take the decision on this; it’s all in their hands. So I won’t comment much on it since it’s a sensitive matter. Even you guys in the media should play the waiting game and shouldn’t assume anything before it happens. Hence, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions and should wait and watch. The people in the BCCI administration are intelligent individuals. They run the biggest league in the world and know what to do and what not to do,” Kaif said during a media interaction at the ILT20 in Dubai.
BCCI yet to make a public comment on Mustafizur Rahman controversy
However, The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to make a public comment on the issue. The IPL will start in March. However, a BCCI source who wished to remain anonymous, said, “The board will not intervene in this issue in any way, because the matter is not within the board’s purview. The government has not issued any directive stating that Bangladeshis cannot play in the IPL. Therefore, it is not possible for the board to say anything more about this at this time.”