'And what if the Bangladeshi player in question had been @LittonOfficial or @soumyasarkar_06?'
Amid the ongoing controversy over Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) decision to select a Bangladeshi player in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that "cricket should not be made to bear the burden" for attacks on minorities in the neighbouring country.
Reacting to criticism over the selection of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman by KKR, Tharoor told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, "Cricket should not be made to bear the burden for attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. We should try to insulate some areas from others. We are reaching out to Bangladesh and urging them to do the right thing to protect and look after their minorities, and this messaging must continue."
"Mustafizur Rahman is a cricketer and has nothing to do with any of these things. He has not been personally accused of any hate speech or condoning or defending any attacks. Mixing these two things is simply not fair," he added.
He further cautioned against isolating neighbouring countries.
"If we become a country that isolates all of our neighbours, and say nobody is playing with any of them, how does it do any good? It is purely a sporting decision, and we should not let politics come into this. We surround Bangladesh on three sides. We cannot isolate them. We have to play with them," Tharoor said.
Later on Saturday, following Mustafizur's forced release from KKR's squad, Tharoor tweeted: 'Recalling my views on the subject, now that @bcci has deplorably pulled the plug on @Mustafiz90. And what if the Bangladeshi player in question had been @LittonOfficial or @soumyasarkar_06? Who are we punishing here: a nation, an individual, his religion? Where will this mindless politicising of sport lead us?'
Earlier, Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its criticism of the IPL franchise, saying overseas players participate in the tournament in accordance with BCCI and IPL rules.
Kharge wrote in a post on X, "The BJP and their 'Vichar Parivaar' are outraged over the inclusion of a Bangladeshi player in the IPL. If an overseas player is in IPL, it is because BCCI or the IPL rules allow him. Instead of blaming the franchise, shouldn't the BJP leaders ask why BCCI is allowing Bangladesh players to participate in IPL, when they should be banning it."
He further criticised BJP leaders by citing past instances.
"The same BJP leaders have no problem when: India played with Pakistan soon after the Pahalgam attack. IPL shifted matches to Islamic countries during COVID. IPL auctions are held in Islamic countries. Instead of questioning franchisees, BJP stooges should be asking tough questions to the Home Minister as to why he is allowing the ICC and BCCI to function like this. For BJP, 'nationalism' appears only when it suits their politics," Kharge added.
