Mumbai, January 1: The controversy over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) buying Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season has now taken a political turn with the entry of Shiv Sena (UBT). After sharp reactions from BJP leaders and religious figures earlier, the latest comments from Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction on Thursday have added fresh political turn to the issue.
Reacting to KKR’s decision, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey issued a strong statement targeting team owner Shah Rukh Khan. Dubey said that if Shah Rukh Khan removes the Bangladeshi player from the team, he would be respected, honoured and given due recognition. However, he warned that if the player is allowed to play and the franchise earns money, that money could allegedly be used for activities against India.
Dubey further claimed that earnings from such participation could be misused to "nurture terrorists" and fuel conspiracies against the country. "We will not allow this to happen at any cost," he said, making it clear that his party views the issue as one linked to national interest rather than just sports.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) statement comes after Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Sangeet Som and spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur earlier made aggressive remarks against Shah Rukh Khan and KKR over the same issue.
So far, there has been no official response from Shah Rukh Khan, the KKR management or the IPL authorities on the statements made by political leaders.
India and Bangladesh share long-standing diplomatic, cultural and economic ties, with cooperation across trade, connectivity, security. However, the relationship has seen periods of strain in recent times due to political developments and security concerns in the region.
There are instances of violence against the Hindus in the country in recent times. Another Hindu businessman identified as Khokon Das narrowly survived a brutal attack today. This is reportedly the fourth major incident of Hindu being attacked in Bangladesh. These incidents have created outrage among Hindus in India and have fueled diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Despite this, cricket and cultural exchanges have traditionally remained a bridge between the two countries, This has often continued even when political relations face challenges.
