SRK in line of BJP, Senas’ fire after KKR signs Bangladesh player

Slamming Kolkata Knight Riders for including Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman in its team, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Anand Dubey said it would oppose the entry of ‘traitors’ into India.

Shah Rukh Khan owns the KKR franchise, along with actor Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta. (file)

4 min readMumbaiJan 3, 2026 05:20 AM IST First published on: Jan 2, 2026 at 12:09 PM IST

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan found himself at the centre of a controversy Friday over the decision of his IPL team KKR signing Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman with multiple parties speaking out — either slamming him or saying he was being targeted for his Muslim identity.

Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey slammed the acclaimed actor, who was recently conferred a national award, and linked the issue to national security concerns. He called for a boycott of Bangladesh and Pakistan cricket players from competing on Indian soil and in the IPL.

“If Shah Rukh Khan plays him and earns money, that money will be used to nurture terrorists there and conspire against our country. We will not allow this to happen at any cost,” Dubey said in a statement.

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SRK owns the KKR franchise, along with actor Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta.

Dubey said that as a Hindu, a Sanatani, and a Shiv Sainik, he and others would oppose the move, reiterating that SRK would be “respected and honoured” if the player was removed from the team.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said his party viewed Bangladesh and Pakistan as adversaries and demanded a complete boycott. “Bangladesh and Pakistan are both our enemies. We will not remain calm without completely boycotting them.”

Dubey also said the Sena (UBT) would oppose the entry of “traitors” into India and sought the Centre’s support on the issue.

BJP’s Sangeet Som said, “In Bangladesh, Hindus are being tortured, killed, they are being thrown out of their homes, naked and beaten… Buying players from there is treason against the country. People like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors.”

Shiv Sena leader Krishna Hegde said the party’s stand has always been to not allow anyone who has committed atrocities against Hindus or is involved in a terrorist attack in India to play in India.

“We would request the IPL governing body and BCCI to ban these players… they cannot commit atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh and then enjoy the hospitality and the benefits and the money from India,” he said.

There were voices that spoke up in support of the ‘Chak De! India’ star.

“Shah Rukh Khan is being targeted because he is Muslim; we still play cricket with Pakistani cricketers after Operation Sindoor. This is BJP-RSS’ double-faced policy,” Congress leader Jagtap said.

Shah Rukh, he said, does not select the team on his own.

“There is a process and in that process, I have never seen SRK sitting there. Juhi Chawla and her husband sit in that process because they are partners. It is not like Shah Rukh Khan went to Bangladesh and Pakistan and selected players there,” Jagtap said, claiming that everything is done with the concurrence of the ICC.

SP leader Abu Azmi also questioned the furore over the inclusion of the Bangladesh player in KKR. “The player he signed, has he ever harmed Hindus?… Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death, where is she now? She has been allowed to stay in our country. Then there is Taslima Nasrin… When you look at all these issues, it becomes clear all this is just about spreading hatred among people,” he said.