NEW DELHI: Spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur has sparked a political debate after criticising Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and its co-owner, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, for purchasing a Bangladeshi player, Mustafizur Rahman, for the upcoming IPL season.
His remarks have drawn mixed reactions from political leaders across parties, with most stressing that sports should be kept separate from political and diplomatic issues.
Speaking to IANS, Devkinandan Thakur, on Wednesday, accused KKR and Shah Rukh Khan of ignoring the alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. He said that Hindus and followers of Sanatan Dharma, who helped make the actor a star, were deeply hurt by the decision to include a Bangladeshi player in an Indian team despite reports of atrocities against Hindus in the neighbouring country.