ISLAMABAD: India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again blurred the line between politics and sport by branding Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan “anti-national” over his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise’s decision to sign a Bangladeshi cricketer.
The controversy erupted after the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, where Khan’s franchise secured Bangladeshi left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for $1.02 million.
BJP leaders and affiliates responded with public accusations and threats, drawing widespread criticism for injecting hyper-nationalist politics into a professional sporting league.
Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som accused Khan of betraying India, declaring, “If you earn money, it comes from this country. But you have betrayed the nation… there should not be any place for such traitors.”
Religious figure Jagadguru Rambhadracharya also joined the campaign, calling Shah Rukh Khan “anti-national” and questioning his character, alleging that his views had consistently been against the country.
The rhetoric escalated further when BJP-affiliated figures issued direct threats. Abhishek Thakur, speaking in a video circulated on social media, said, “We will beat Mustafizur Rahman and Shah Rukh Khan if they allow the former to play in IPL.”
The incident exposed an increasingly hostile environment for foreign players, particularly from neighboring countries, amid India’s domestic political discourse.
Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla echoed the hardline position, stating, “I completely agree that no player from Bangladesh should play in the IPL.”
In contrast, opposition leaders criticized the BJP’s approach, warning that politicizing cricket undermines both sport and regional stability. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said cricket should not be used as a proxy for political disputes.
“Cricket should not be made to bear the burden for attacks on minorities in Bangladesh,” Tharoor said.
Congress leader Priyank Kharge also criticized the ruling party’s campaign, cautioning that dragging sport into political hostility risks damaging India’s relations with neighboring countries.
The episode has revived broader criticism of India’s repeated politicization of cricket, with observers noting that sporting bodies and tournaments have frequently been affected by political considerations, particularly in matters involving regional rivals and neighboring states.
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