Shashi Tharoor Backs KKR Choice: “Cricket Shouldn’t Bear the Burden”

In response to the ongoing controversy over Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) picking Mustafizur Rahman, a Bangladeshi cricketer, at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has stated that it is not right to drag cricket into attacks on minorities in the neighbouring country.

The controversy sparked when Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of the IPL franchise, selected Rahman, a cricketer from Bangladesh, for Rs 9.20 crore during the auction. It made him an expensive player in the tournament’s history.

However, the move faced backlash as it hurt the sentiments of religious groups who called SRK a traitor as he welcomed a player from a country where Hindus are humiliated and killed.

In the recent incident, Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu, lost his life to mob violence in Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Shashi Tharoor Backs KKR Decision Over Selection Of Bangladeshi Player

According to Shashi Tharoor's recent statement on a national issue, ‘’Cricket should not be made to bear the burden’’ for violence against minorities in Bangladesh.

While speaking to a news agency, the Congress leader said that attempts should be made to separate some issues from others.

He further added on reaching out to Bangladesh and requesting them to follow the right path and protect and safeguard minorities.

Shashi Tharoor on Separating Sport and Politics in Cricket

Speaking about Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman, the politician said that it doesn’t make sense to drag him into such issues.

The cricketer has no role in hate speech or justifying the attack so far. Hence, it is not good to mix two things.

Tharoor also warned about the isolation of neighbouring nations, saying it is not right to include politics in the decision.

According to Thiruvananthapuram MP, the matter should be left to sports, not politics. There is no benefit in sidelining neighbouring countries and not playing with them.

This is because India encircles Bangladesh on three sides; hence, it is impossible to isolate them. We have to engage with them in sports.

BJP and Congress at Loggerheads Over KKR’s Decision

Following the Bangladesh cricketer and Shashi Tharoor controversy, the leaders of the BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) and Congress are at loggerheads over KKR’s decision.

BJP leader Sangeet Som has criticised superstar Shah Rukh Khan over his investment in players from the country who are spitting venom against India. Infuriated by it, he even called the actor a ‘traitor’.

Speaking to the media, he said that people of India have showered him with so much love and have made him a superstar, but in return, he is investing in people who oppose the country. Hence, he won’t let him succeed.

From the opposition side, Congress leader Bhai Jagtap defended SRK’s decision. According to him, the Bollywood actor is framed because he is from a Muslim community.

Even after Operation Sindoor, matches continued to be played between India and Pakistan. Jagtap called this a double-faced policy of the BJP and RSS.

FAQs

Q: Is purchasing a Bangladesh player Good for IPL?

A: Even though the Bangladeshi player Rahman has nothing to do with the controversy, it has still deeply hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community, following their mistreatment and killings in Bangladesh.

Q: Are politics and sports different?

A: Politics and sports might be different, but when they encroach upon each other, it creates problems. The recent KKR’s decision to hire a Bangladeshi player, Rahman, is one example.

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