Cricket should not be mixed with attacks on minorities in Bangladesh: Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor connected Friday (January 2, 2026) said cricket should not beryllium linked to attacks connected minorities successful Bangladesh, reacting to disapproval implicit the enactment of a Bangladeshi subordinate by an IPL franchise.

Speaking to reporters present connected the enactment of Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman by Kolkata Knight Riders astatine the IPL auction, Mr. Tharoor said athletics should not beryllium made to carnivore the load of governmental issues.

“I honestly don’t deliberation cricket should beryllium made to transportation the load of attacks connected minorities successful Bangladesh. My presumption is wide that we should effort to insulate immoderate areas from others,” helium said.

Mr. Tharoor said India has been engaging with Bangladesh and urging it to support and look aft minorities, and that specified messaging should continue.

ck“But Mustafizur Rahman is simply a cricketer and has thing to bash with immoderate of these things. He has not been personally accused of hatred code oregon attacks, oregon of condoning oregon defending specified acts. He is simply a sportsman, and mixing these 2 things is simply not fair,” helium said.

He added that isolating neighbouring countries done sporting boycotts would not service immoderate constructive purpose.

“If India becomes a state that isolates each its neighbours and says cipher should play with them, it volition not bash immoderate good. We request a large bosom and a large caput successful this matter,” Mr. Tharoor said.

Stressing that the determination was purely a sporting one, helium said authorities should not beryllium allowed to power specified matters.