Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said cricket should not be linked to attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, reacting to criticism over the selection of a Bangladeshi player by an Indian Premier League franchise.

Speaking to reporters on the selection of Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman by Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL auction, Tharoor said sport should not be made to bear the burden of political issues.

“I honestly don’t think cricket should be made to carry the burden of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. My view is clear that we should try to insulate some areas from others,” he said.

Tharoor said India has been engaging with Bangladesh and urging it to protect and look after minorities, and added that such messaging should continue.

However, he underlined that Mustafizur Rahman, as a sportsperson, should not be drawn into political controversies.

“But Mustafizur Rahman is a cricketer and has nothing to do with any of these things. He has not been personally accused of hate speech or attacks, or of condoning or defending such acts. He is a sportsman, and mixing these two things is simply not fair,” Tharoor said.

He also cautioned against isolating neighbouring countries through sporting boycotts, saying such an approach would not serve any constructive purpose.

“If India becomes a country that isolates all its neighbours and says nobody should play with them, it will not do any good. We need a big heart and a big mind in this matter,” he said.

Stressing that the decision to pick the Bangladeshi pacer was purely a sporting one, Tharoor said politics should not be allowed to influence such matters.