NEW DELHI: Bollywood superstar and co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Shah Rukh Khan, has been embroiled in a political controversy after his franchise acquired Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sangeet Som, who has branded the actor a “traitor.”
Som, a former MLA from Uttar Pradesh, condemned the signing, linking it to reported incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. “At a time when atrocities against Hindus are rising in Bangladesh, Shah Rukh Khan has chosen a player from that country,” Som stated. He issued a stark warning, claiming that if the Bangladeshi cricketer arrives in India for the tournament, “he will not be allowed to leave the airport.”
Mustafizur Rahman was bought by KKR for ₹9.2 crore ($1.1 million approx.) in the IPL 2026 auction held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, making him the sole Bangladeshi player in the squad this season.
The controversy emerges against a backdrop of recent diplomatic strains between India and Bangladesh, following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. The political and social debate has since spilled onto social media and into public discourse, with figures like Som framing the sports decision within a nationalist and geopolitical context.
While the IPL is a professional sporting league where teams frequently recruit international talent, this incident highlights how sports and politics often intersect in the region, drawing high-profile figures like Shah Rukh Khan into heated political crossfire. There has been no immediate public response from the actor or the KKR management regarding the accusations.
Meamwhile Indian politician Sanatan Pandey has revealed that the 2019 Pulwama attack, which killed more than 40 paramilitary personnel, was not carried out by foreign actors but was instead part of a conspiracy involving the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Indian government had accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack, which brought the two nuclear powers to the brink of war.
Speaking to the media, Pandey, a leader of the Samajwadi Party, claimed that the Pulwama incident was allegedly orchestrated to serve political ends. He further criticised the BJP for failing to provide clarity on the origin of the RDX explosives used in the attack and accused the government of routinely blaming Pakistan without proper investigation or evidence.
