Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 3 (HBTV): Amid the controversy over Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to select a Bangladeshi player in the Indian Premier League auction, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said cricket should not be made to bear the burden of political issues.
Reacting to criticism over KKR selecting Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman, Tharoor told reporters that cricket should not be burdened with issues arising from attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. He said efforts should continue to urge the neighbouring country to protect its minorities, but sport must be insulated from such matters.
‘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 of condoning or defending any attacks. Mixing these two things is simply not fair,’ Tharoor said.
He also cautioned against isolating neighbouring countries, stating that such an approach would serve no purpose. Tharoor said India surrounds Bangladesh on three sides and cannot isolate it, adding that sporting engagements should remain free from political considerations.
‘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 have to play with them,’ he said.
Earlier, Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for targeting the IPL franchise, stating that overseas players participate in the tournament as per BCCI and IPL rules.
In a post on X, Kharge said, ‘The BJP and their “Vichar Parivaar” are outraged over the inclusion of a Bangladeshi player in the IPL. If an overseas player is in the IPL, it is because BCCI or the IPL rules allow him. Instead of blaming the franchise, shouldn’t BJP leaders ask why the BCCI is allowing Bangladesh players to participate?’
Kharge further cited past instances to criticise BJP leaders, saying they had raised no objections when India played Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack, when IPL matches were shifted to Islamic countries during COVID, or when IPL auctions were held abroad.
‘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 the BJP, “nationalism” appears only when it suits their politics,’ he added. (ANI)