‘Traitor’ Row Erupts as SRK’s KKR Signs Mustafizur Rahman Amid Hindu Killings in Bangladesh

Shah Rukh Khan faces a political storm after KKR signed Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.2 crore. Spiritual leaders and BJP leaders slammed SRK, while Congress leaders backed him.

In the wake of a series of brutal attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh — including the killing of garment factory worker Dipu Chandra Das, whose body was hanged and set on fire, and the lynching of Amrit Mondal in Rajbari — outrage and emotion have been running high across India. Against this sensitive backdrop, the decision of Shah Rukh Khan–owned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to sign Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.2 crore has triggered a fierce political storm, with sharp criticism from BJP leaders and counter-reactions from the Congress, turning a cricketing move into a national flashpoint.

BJP Leader Calls SRK “A Traitor”

BJP leader Sangeet Som launched one of the strongest political attacks, questioning why an Indian franchise should sign a player from Bangladesh at a time when tensions exist over violence against Hindus there.

Som told ANI: “The way Hindus are being persecuted in Bangladesh, women and girls are being raped, their homes are being burned, and anti-India slogans are being chanted there. Despite all this, traitors like Shah Rukh Khan, I'm calling him a traitor because everything he has is given by India, given by the people of India, but where do they invest this money? They invest it in players from a country that is working against India. I want to tell people like Shah Rukh Khan that they will not succeed. At any cost, they will not be able to get Mustafizur Rahman to play here. Rahman won't be able to step outside the airport.”

He further added: “People like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors; they eat in India and sing praises of Pakistan and Bangladesh.”

Spiritual Leaders Lash Out at Shah Rukh Khan

Hindu spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur strongly objecting to the inclusion of a Bangladeshi player at a time when concerns remain over attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Speaking to ANI, he said: “In Bangladesh, Hindus are being brutally murdered, their homes are being burned, and their sisters and daughters are being raped. After witnessing such brutal killings, how can someone be so heartless, especially someone who calls himself the owner of a team? How can he be so cruel as to include a cricketer from that very country in his team?”

Thakur went a step further, reminding Shah Rukh Khan of his rise to fame: “This country made you a hero, a superstar, and gave you so much power that you own a cricket team. What were you before? You worked in a TV serial, earning Rs 500-1000 a day.”

He added that the Hindu community had supported him and questioned how that “debt” was being repaid. Thakur demanded that the cricketer be removed, saying:

“As a gesture of apology and remorse, Rs 9.2 crore, which is being given to that cricketer, should be given to the families of the Hindu children who are being killed there.”

He clarified there was no personal animosity: “I have never met Shah Rukh Khan. I don’t know him. I’ve only seen his posters. I don’t watch films. I don’t do things that corrupt the character of the world. I am a Hindu religious leader, and Hindus are being killed. Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh, and you have brought in a Bangladeshi cricketer in your team?”

Another prominent spiritual figure, Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya, echoed the attack, saying: “He (Shah Rukh Khan) is not a hero. Shah Rukh Khan does not have a character. His actions have been those of a traitor.”

Counter-Voices Call It Hate Speech and Politicisation

The backlash did not go unanswered. Several Opposition leaders criticised the “traitor” labelling, arguing that it was unfair and dangerous.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore posted: “Calling Superstar Shah Rukh Khan a ‘traitor’ is an attack on India’s pluralism. Hate cannot define nationalism. RSS must stop poisoning society.”

Another Congress MP, Tariq Anwar, said the tone used against the actor was inappropriate: “It is not appropriate to talk about Shah Rukh Khan in this way. Shah Rukh Khan has made so many films that have a direct connection to patriotism, and he is a renowned and globally famous figure...”

He also reminded critics that IPL team composition follows due approvals: “If the cricket board has given permission, only then can Shah Rukh Khan bring in players from Bangladesh or any other country. Since this is an international event, international law applies there...”

Muslim Cleric Says It Is “Not Betrayal”

In another significant counter-view, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat, said:

“Devkinandan Thakur and Sangeet Som should understand that Indian Muslims are also concerned about the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and stand in solidarity with them, raising their voices in support of their protection and safety. In such a situation, if Shah Rukh Khan makes any agreement with a cricketer there, it is not an act of betrayal. This cannot be justified under any circumstances.”

A Cricketing Decision — Or A Political Flashpoint?

What was meant to be a routine IPL signing has escalated into a national political issue, dragging one of India’s biggest film stars into the crossfire.

The debate now goes beyond cricket — touching themes of nationalism, identity, cross-border relations, and the role of celebrity influence in a polarised political climate.

And as the new IPL season approaches, one question lingers: Will the pitch remain about cricket — or will politics continue to dominate the scoreboard?

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