Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], January 1 (ANI): Hindu spiritual leader Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya labelled Shah Rukh Khan's actions traitorous for including a Bangladeshi cricketer in his co-owned IPL team KKR.

'He (Shah Rukh Khan) is not a hero. Shah Rukh Khan does not have a character. His actions have been those of a traitor,' Rambhadracharya said.

This comes after another Hindu spiritual leader, Devkinandan Thakur, strongly criticised the decision to select a Bangladesh player amid tensions with the neighbouring country over targeted atrocities against Hindus.

Devkinandan Thakur stated that Hindus in Bangladesh were facing extreme atrocities. 'In Bangladesh, Hindus are being brutally murdered, their homes are being burned, and their sisters and daughters are being raped. After witnessing such brutal killings, how can someone be so heartless, especially someone who calls himself the owner of a team? How can he be so cruel as to include a cricketer from that very country in his team?.'

Thakur demanded that the management 'remove that cricketer' and called for the player's reported remuneration to be redirected to families suffering in the neighbouring countries. 'As a gesture of apology and remorse, Rs 9.2 crore, which is being given to that cricketer, should be given to the families of the Hindu children who are being killed there,' he said.

He also weighed in on the controversial statement by Congress leader Nana Patole regarding Rahul Gandhi and Lord Ram.

'This is mere sycophancy. That person has not been able to understand Lord Ram. There is no comparison between Shri Ram and Rahul Gandhi. God knows what kind of work Rahul Gandhi is doing.', he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Nana Patole, addressing Rahul Gandhi's failure to visit the Ram Temple, said that the Congress is doing the work of Lord Ram.

Nana Patole said, 'Our leader Rahul Gandhi is doing the work of Lord Shri Ram. You know that Lord Shri Ram worked for the oppressed, the suffering, the deprived. Our leader, Rahul Gandhi, is doing the same work across the country; his fight to deliver justice to the people has begun. When Ram Lalla was locked, our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had ordered the gates to be opened. When Rahul Gandhi visits Ayodhya, he will offer prayers.' (ANI)