The political atmosphere of the country has heated up before the IPL to be held in March 2026. Kolkata Knight Riders is embroiled in controversy after purchasing Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman. Now team co-owner and superstar Shahrukh Khan has also come under target. From political leaders to religious figures, sharp statements are being made against Shahrukh Khan from different places. He has been called a traitor and many derogatory things. On the other hand, some politicians have also come out in support of Shahrukh. Recent statements against him have been given by Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya and Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. Both have supported spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur, who issued a warning about Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman.
Rambhadracharya said, “He (Shah Rukh Khan) is not a hero. Shah Rukh Khan has no character. His actions have been like that of a traitor.” Meanwhile, Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri said, “There are incidents happening somewhere there (in Bangladesh) which are against Hindutva. The players there should raise their voice so that Hindus can be protected, and the people there and the BCCI should understand this issue.”
Earlier on Wednesday, former Sardhana MLA Sangeet Som had given a statement about actor Shahrukh Khan. He said, “How can that Rehman (Mustafizur) come here? A traitor like Shahrukh Khan will buy him and give him Rs 9.5 crore; this will not be tolerated at all, and the people of India will not tolerate this.” Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi responded to this by saying, “No one has the right to distribute patriotism certificates, and no one should try to become a contractor for distributing patriotism certificates.”
Earlier, religious leader Devkinandan Thakur had said, “The country which made you (SRK) a hero, a superstar, the country which gave you so much power that you could buy a cricket team. The country gave you so much love, the Hindu community also gave you a lot of love. So, will you repay that debt by bringing a Bangladeshi cricketer and feeding him on our soil?” Devkinandan Thakur’s statement was also supported by Maharashtra State Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan. He said, “A country where minorities are not safe can never progress. I want to tell Shahrukh Khan that if such injustice is being done to the people of our country in another country, then players from those countries should be banned so that a strong message is sent. I will write a letter to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on this issue and demand from him that he should ensure the safety of minorities there.”
Suspense on Mustafizur Rahman’s participation
Despite deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh, there is still a possibility of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has ruled out any ban on Bangladeshi players and has adopted a ‘wait and see’ policy until it receives instructions from the government on the matter.
Mustafizur Rahman was the only Bangladeshi player to be sold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. KKR bought him for Rs 9.20 crore. However, since the auction, KKR is facing severe criticism on social media. Along with the fans, some political leaders have also raised questions on the participation of Bangladeshi players in the IPL.
