Congress Condemns BJP Leader’s Remarks on Shah Rukh Khan Over Bangladeshi Cricketer in KKR

The Congress on Thursday condemned BJP leader Sangeet Som’s support for Hindu spiritual figure Jagadguru Rambhadracharya’s criticism of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for including Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman in his Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Rahman’s selection has sparked controversy amid strained India-Bangladesh ties and recent attacks on the country’s Hindu community.

BJP Leader Labels SRK a ‘Traitor’
Som, a former Uttar Pradesh MLA, called Shah Rukh Khan “a traitor” and accused him of investing in players “from a country working against India.” He cited alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, saying women were being raped, homes burned, and anti-India slogans raised. Som also claimed that Rahman “won’t be able to step outside the airport” if he tries to play in India.

Congress Condemns Remarks
Congress MP Manickam Tagore strongly condemned the ‘traitor’ remarks, calling them “an attack on India’s pluralism” and urging the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to stop “poisoning society.” On X, Tagore wrote: “Calling Superstar Shah Rukh Khan a ‘traitor’ is an attack on India’s pluralism. Hate cannot define nationalism. RSS must stop poisoning society.”

Spiritual Leaders Weigh In
Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, chief priest of Madhya Pradesh’s Bageshwar Dham temple, said while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will decide on player selection, Bangladeshi cricketers should speak out for the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh. “A game is a game… but they should speak up for the nation and society,” Shastri said.

Rambhadracharya also criticized Khan’s actions, calling him “not a hero” and questioning his character. Another spiritual leader, Devkinandan Thakur, described KKR’s inclusion of a Bangladeshi player as “cruel,” demanding that the cricketer’s reported ₹9.2 crore remuneration be redirected to families affected by violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Recent Violence Against Hindus in Bangladesh
The controversy comes amid a spate of violence targeting Bangladesh’s Hindu minority. On December 18, the assassination of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi triggered unrest, during which Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das was lynched over alleged blasphemy.

Subsequently, two more Hindu men were killed in separate incidents, including 50-year-old businessman Khokon Chandra Das, who was attacked, hacked, and set on fire while returning home in Shariatpur district on December 31. The reasons for these attacks remain unclear, according to police and local reports.