A political storm has erupted around the Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to sign Bangladeshi cricketer Musafizur Rahman, drawing Bollywood superstar and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan into a fierce public controversy that has quickly taken on communal and political overtones.

Leaders from the BJP and the Shiv Sena attacked the move, arguing that a Bangladeshi player should not be allowed to participate in the Indian Premier League in view of alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, news agency PTI reported.

Several of them directly targeted Shah Rukh Khan, accusing him of being insensitive to the issue.

“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,” PTI quoted BJP leader Sangeet Som as saying.

Shiv Sena leader Krishna Hegde echoed the criticism, stating that the party would not accept the participation of such players.

“We would request the IPL governing body and the 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.

Spiritual leader Rambhadracharya also joined the chorus of criticism against the actor.

“It is unfortunate but he will do so because he is considered a hero. Shah Rukh Khan's stance has consistently been at odds with the nation. His character has always been questionable and anti-national,” he claimed.

At the same time, opposition leaders and other political voices came out in Shah Rukh Khan’s defence, alleging that the controversy was being manufactured to target him because of his religion. Congress leader Bhai Jagtap described the attacks as politically motivated.

“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,” he said.

Jagtap also rejected the claim that Shah Rukh Khan was personally responsible for the selection of players.

“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,” he said, adding that everything is done with the concurrence of the ICC.

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticised the politicisation of the issue.

“What will they achieve by targeting Shah Rukh Khan,” he asked.

Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi similarly questioned the uproar over the Bangladeshi player’s inclusion in the KKR squad.

“The player he signed, has he ever harmed Hindus? If I say it bluntly, it is the governments that spread hatred. 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 that all this is just about spreading hatred among people,” he said.

With voices sharply divided, the controversy has moved far beyond cricket, turning the signing of a single overseas player into yet another flashpoint in India’s polarised political landscape.