Spiritual Guru Devkinandan Thakur Slams KKR, Shah Rukh Khan Over Bangladeshi Player; Leaders React

New Delhi — Spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur has triggered a political controversy after criticising Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and its co-owner, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, for signing Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming IPL season.

Thakur’s remarks have evoked varied responses from political leaders across party lines, with most emphasising that sports should remain insulated from political and diplomatic considerations.

In a conversation with IANS on Wednesday, Devkinandan Thakur accused KKR and Shah Rukh Khan of disregarding what he described as the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. He said that Hindus and followers of Sanatan Dharma, whom he claimed played a significant role in the actor’s success, were deeply hurt by the decision to include a Bangladeshi player in an Indian team amid reports of atrocities against Hindus in the neighbouring country.

“Devotees of Sanatan Dharma and Hindus see that, without considering that Hindus in Bangladesh are being killed, burnt alive and girls are being assaulted, a Bangladeshi player is being included in an Indian team,” Thakur said.

He further argued that the money spent on acquiring a Bangladeshi player should instead be directed towards India’s development or used as compensation for families of those allegedly killed in Bangladesh.

Reacting to the controversy, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo said that human rights violations must be condemned wherever they occur, but cautioned against mixing sports with politics.

“Wherever minorities are oppressed, in any country, we condemn it. Whether it is Hindus facing atrocities in Bangladesh or minorities facing oppression elsewhere, such acts should not happen and must be strongly denounced,” Trumboo said.

“At the same time, if sports and politics are kept separate, things will function smoothly. The real need is that minorities should be protected and treated justly in every country.”

Congress leader Tariq Anwar also sought to play down the issue, reiterating that sports should not be influenced by political or diplomatic tensions.

“I do not know the background of this issue, but sports should be kept separate. Similar discussions have come up in the past as well, including during overseas tours. Whether a player is from another country or someone is a film star, there should be no controversy in such matters,” he said.

In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echoed Thakur’s concerns. BJP MLA Karnail Singh said that apprehensions regarding the condition of Hindus in Bangladesh were valid and questioned the rationale behind supporting Bangladeshi players.

“If they are so concerned about Bangladeshi players, then they should go to Bangladesh themselves,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, religious leaders in Ujjain have reportedly issued warnings of disrupting IPL matches by damaging pitches if Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman is allowed to participate. The threats stem from growing anger over recent violent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, including two lynching incidents linked to blasphemy allegations.

KKR has signed Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the current IPL season at a price of Rs 9.2 crore.

With inputs from IANS