Spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur has ignited a political debate after criticizing the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and its co-owner, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, for acquiring Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming IPL season.
His comments have received mixed reactions from political leaders across various parties, with many emphasizing the importance of keeping sports separate from political and diplomatic issues.
Thakur accused KKR and Shah Rukh Khan of overlooking the alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. He expressed that Hindus and followers of Sanatan Dharma, who contributed to the actor’s stardom, were deeply hurt by the decision to include a Bangladeshi player in an Indian team, despite reports of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.
“Devotees of Sanatan 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 stated.
He further argued that the money spent on acquiring a Bangladeshi player should instead be allocated for India’s development or as compensation for families affected by violence in Bangladesh.
Reacting to the controversy, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo said human rights violations must be condemned with consistency but warned against blending 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 remarked. He added, “As far as sports are concerned, if sports and politics remain separate, things will continue smoothly. The real need is that minorities should be protected and treated justly in every country.”
Congress leader Tariq Anwar also downplayed the controversy, asserting that sports should not be swayed by political or diplomatic tensions.
“I don’t know the background of this issue, but sports should be kept separate. Similar discussions have come up earlier as well, including during tours abroad. Whether a player is from another country or someone is a film star, there should be no issue in such matters,” he commented.
Conversely, the BJP supported Thakur’s viewpoint. BJP MLA Karnail Singh validated concerns regarding the situation of Hindus in Bangladesh and questioned the rationale behind endorsing Bangladeshi players.
“If they are so concerned about Bangladeshi players, then they should go to Bangladesh themselves,” he stated.
Recently, religious leaders in Ujjain issued a stark warning to disrupt IPL cricket matches by damaging pitches if Mustafizur Rahman is permitted to participate. This threat arises from increasing anger over violent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, particularly two severe lynching incidents tied to blasphemy accusations.
KKR has secured Bangladesh’s pacer Mustafizur Rahman for this year’s IPL at a cost of Rs 9.2 crore.