BJP's Sangeet Som slams Shah Rukh Khan over KKR’s inclusion of Bangladeshi player

Shahrukh’s KKR bought Rahman for Rs 9.5 crore in the mini-auction that was held in Abu Dhabi on December 16 last year.

• BJP's Sangeet Som criticized Shah Rukh Khan for signing Bangladeshi Rahman.
• Som called Khan a traitor and warned of resistance to Bangladeshi players in IPL
• No response yet from Shah Rukh Khan, KKR, or IPL officials on the controversy

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A BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh has sparked controversy by targeting actor Shah Rukh Khan after his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), bought Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman at the recent players’ auction.

Sangeet Som, a former Uttar Pradesh MLA, criticised Khan during a public programme in Meerut, linked the IPL signing to reports of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Som accused Khan of being a “traitor” for purchasing a Bangladeshi player amid the situation in the neighbouring country.

Referring to the IPL auction held on December 16, Som said Rahman was bought for Rs 9.2 crore and alleged that such decisions amounted to a betrayal of the country. He also issued a warning, claiming that Bangladeshi players would face resistance if they came to India to participate in the tournament, which is scheduled to begin in March.

“Hum daave ke saath keh rahe hain ki aise khiladiyon ko yahan khelne nahi diya jaayega. Shah Rukh Khan jaise gaddaron ko yeh samajh lena chahiye ki aap jis tarah desh ke saath gaddari kar rahe hain, agar aap aaj is mukaam par pahunche hain toh is desh ke logon ki wajah se pahunche hain. (We say this with certainty that such players will not be allowed to play here. Traitors like Shah Rukh Khan should understand that if you have reached this position today, it is because of the people of this country)," he said.

The remarks drew further attention after spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur also criticised Shah Rukh Khan over the signing and urged the KKR management not to include Mustafizur Rahman in the playing squad.

There was no immediate response from Shah Rukh Khan, the Kolkata Knight Riders, or IPL officials to the statements.

Shahrukh’s KKR bought Rahman for Rs 9.5 crore in the mini-auction that was held in Abu Dhabi on December 16 last year.

Som said that some people had been ‘encouraging anti-national’ activities through films and cricket. ‘’Such people must be identified and they must be kept under watch,’’ he said.

The remarks come amid a spate of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, including lynching of individuals from the community.