‘Send back Hasina too’: Owaisi questions BCCI move against Bangladeshi pacer
New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday questioned what he described as India’s “double standards” over the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to ask Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, while former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina continues to stay in India.
Owaisi said if the Bangladeshi cricketer could be sent back, the same logic should apply to Hasina, who has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh amid mass protests, NDTV reported on Monday.
"A Bangladeshi woman is living in India, so send her also. Why is she being stopped in the country? Stability in Bangladesh is important for India. China and Pakistan are active in Bangladesh. We have to look into that too," NDTV quoted him as saying.
Referring to past events, the AIMIM leader pointed out that India continued to play cricket with Pakistan even after Pakistan-origin terrorists killed tourists in the Pahalgam terror attack. "After the Pahalgam attack, we played with Pakistan in the Asia Cup," the chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) said.
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The (BCCI) last week ordered Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan-owned (KKR) to release Rahman amid the ongoing violence against Hindus in the neighbouring country. The decision allows the IPL franchise to look for a replacement player ahead of the 2026 season.
The move sparked political reactions, with some leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, cautioning against mixing sports with politics.
Bangladesh has been asking Hasina to return. She and her family have, however, said it would be a sham trial by a radical administration that is also politically hostile to her. India had noted the death sentence given by the so-called 'International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh'.
The BCCI, in its communication to KKR, said releasing the Bangladeshi pacer would give the franchise flexibility to make alternative arrangements if required.
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Whoever wins heart of Gandhi family in Congress will become CM: Basavaraj Bommai
Gadag: In Congress, whoever wins the hearts of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi will become the Chief Minister. This is a shame for the democratic system, said former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai.
Speaking to the media in Gadag, he said there is a clash among leaders due to excessive desire for power. Cabinet ministers are trying to retain their positions. Some leaders are demanding ministerial posts saying they have won elections multiple times, while newcomers are also seeking ministerial positions. He added that the Chief Minister is trying to retain his position.
Bommai said Mallikarjun Kharge is a senior leader and feels he should have been given the Chief Minister post fairly.
He further said that Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar function as the high command, referring to Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, and added that Congress is a family-based party. He reiterated that whoever wins the support of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi becomes the Chief Minister, calling it a shame for the democratic system and alleging that the party has weakened internal democracy.
Responding to a question about allegations that officials in the government are not working, he said, “The people who made them are angry. The Congress has cheated the people who elected them. The government is completely at a standstill. No work has been done. About Rs 14,000 crores provided in Siddaramaiah's last budget have not been used. About Rs 10,000 crores were not used in the year before that either. How will the officials work if there is political conflict? If the CM says one thing and the DCM says another, this government has completely come to a standstill in the eyes of the people.”
