Bollywood megastar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan finds himself at the center of a heated political and religious storm. The controversy erupted after his IPL franchise selected Bangladeshi pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming season, drawing sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Hindu religious figures.
Political Firestorm Over Team Selection
The first volley was fired by prominent Hindu spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur. In a statement to ANI, Thakur demanded that the KKR management immediately drop the Bangladeshi cricketer from the squad. He went a step further, suggesting that the money paid to Mustafizur Rahman should instead be donated to the families of Hindu victims in Bangladesh as a form of apology.
The political angle intensified when BJP leader and former MLA Sangeet Som launched a direct attack on the actor. "People like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors," Som declared, linking the sports decision to national loyalty. This strong condemnation from a political figure quickly amplified the issue beyond the cricket field.
Congress Rushes to Actor's Defence
In a swift counter, the Congress party stepped in to defend the beleaguered actor. Senior Congress MP Manickam Tagore strongly condemned the remarks made against Shah Rukh Khan. Tagore framed the criticism as more than just an attack on an individual, calling it an assault on India's core pluralistic and secular values. This defence positions the controversy within the larger narrative of India's social fabric.
A Clash of Sports, Politics, and Nationalism
The incident highlights the increasingly frequent intersection of sports, celebrity culture, and identity politics in India. The selection of a foreign player, a routine practice in the international IPL, has been reinterpreted as a symbolic act with political connotations. The attack from Hindu religious leaders and the BJP's vocal criticism contrasts sharply with the Congress's defence of secularism and individual choice.
As of now, Shah Rukh Khan or the KKR management have not issued an official public response to the allegations. The controversy continues to simmer, raising questions about the boundaries between sports franchises' commercial decisions and the escalating political discourse in the country.
