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‘No place for traitors’: BJP MLA Sangeet Som targets Shah Rukh Khan over KKR’s inclusion of Bangladeshi player
The IPL 2026 auction has sparked a political storm after BJP leader and UP MLA Sangeet Som launched a scathing attack on Shah Rukh Khan
The cricket pitch has turned into a political battlefield. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Uttar Pradesh MLA Sangeet Som has trained guns on Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan over the inclusion of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman in the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Targeting Khan — a co-owner of the team — Som described the move as objectionable and went so far as to label him a “gaddar” for backing the decision.
The controversy erupted following the IPL 2026 auction, where KKR secured ‘The Fizz’ for a staggering ₹9.20 crore. While the move was seen as a tactical masterstroke by cricket analysts, it has triggered a wave of nationalistic backlash amid rising diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh.
“No place for traitors,” says Sangeet Som
Addressing a public gathering, Som made it clear that he would oppose the participation of Bangladeshi players on Indian soil. He directed his criticism toward the KKR owner, suggesting that the actor had forgotten the roots of his success.
Som stated: “Hum daave ke saath keh rahe hain ki aise khiladiyon ko yahan khelne nahi diya jaayega. Shah Rukh Khan jaise gaddaron ko yeh samajh lena chahiye ki aap jis tarah desh ke saath gaddari kar rahe hain, agar aap aaj is mukaam par pahunche hain toh is desh ke logon ki wajah se pahunche hain. (We say this with certainty that such players will not be allowed to play here. Traitors like Shah Rukh Khan should understand that if you have reached this position today, it is because of the people of this country.)”
Continuing his tirade, Som alleged that the franchise's decisions were out of touch with the national sentiment. “Kabhi Pakistan ko chanda dene ki baat karte hain, kabhi Rahman jaise khiladi kharidne ki baat karte hain. Yeh ab is desh mein nahi chalega. Aise gaddaron ke liye desh mein ab koi jagah nahi rahegi. (Sometimes there is talk of donating to Pakistan, sometimes of buying players like Rahman. This will no longer be tolerated in this country. There will be no place for such traitors in the nation.)”
Geopolitical tensions spill into IPL
The remarks come amid a spate of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, including the lynching of individuals from the community. Furthermore, Som is not the first to call out the inclusion of Bangladeshi players; religious leaders and local organisations have also voiced their dissent. Spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur had previously raised objections to Kolkata Knight Riders signing Rahman for the upcoming season. During a recent address to his supporters, he issued a stern ultimatum to the KKR management.
“Agar KKR ne us khiladi ko wapas nahi kiya, uski cancellation nahi ki, toh ‘khela hobe’, bahut bada khela hobe. Samay hai sambhal jao, samay hai sudhar jao, warna samay ulti disha mein behne lagega. (If KKR does not return that player and cancel the decision, there will be ‘khela hobe’, a very big game will happen. This is the time to be careful and correct yourselves, otherwise time will start moving in the opposite direction.)"
As of now, neither Shah Rukh Khan nor the KKR management has officially responded to these allegations. While the BCCI has not issued a formal ban on Bangladeshi players, the mounting political pressure suggests that Mustafizur Rahman’s path to the IPL 2026 season may be far from smooth.
