‘Rs 1 lakh for his tongue’: Shah Rukh Khan faces threats after KKR signs Mushtafizur Rahman amid violence against Hindus in Bangladesh

The controversy escalated after Meera Rathore, district president of the All India Hindu Mahasabha in Agra, made provocative remarks targeting the actor over the signing.

Staging a protest by defacing Khan's poster, Rathore said as quoted by midday, "Our Hindu brothers were burned to death in Bangladesh, and this man is buying and feeding them to the locals. Today, I smeared his face with soot and hit him with my shoes.

"If this happens to our brothers, we will not spare them. What is happening to our brothers is wrong. We will give a cash reward of Rs 1,00,000 to anyone who brings us his tongue."

Earlier, former BJP MLA Sangeet Som described Shah Rukh Khan as a “traitor” during a public rally, alleging that the actor had betrayed the country by backing the signing of a Bangladeshi player. Som further claimed that Bangladeshi cricketers would face opposition if they toured India.

The issue drew wider attention after spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur appealed to the KKR management to reconsider the inclusion of Mustafizur Rahman in the team.

Reacting to the remarks made against Shah Rukh Khan, the Congress accused the BJP leader of targeting the actor because of his religion. Congress leader Surender Rajput told NDTV that the criticism against Khan was driven by communal bias.

KKR had acquired Mustafizur Rahman for Rs 9.2 crore ahead of the IPL season. The franchise has not issued any official statement on the controversy so far.

The backlash comes amid heightened concern over violence against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. In recent months, several incidents of mob violence, arson and targeted attacks on Hindu households have been reported, drawing protests and international attention.

In December 2025, a 27-year-old Hindu garment worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched in Mymensingh following allegations of blasphemy. The incident sparked widespread outrage.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has condemned the violence in Bangladesh, calling the incidents hostile acts targeting minority communities and urging the neighbouring country to ensure the safety of its minorities.