Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru/Mumbai
Bengaluru/Mumbai, May 3: A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against popular playback singer Sonu Nigam by the Police over a controversial statement he made during a college performance in Bengaluru, where he appeared to link a demand for a Kannada song to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
The FIR was lodged at the Avalahalli police station based on a complaint by Dharmaraj A, president of the Bengaluru City District Unit of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, under Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (statements inciting public mischief), and 352(1) (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or incite another offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
The controversy erupted after Sonu Nigam made the remarks while performing at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru on April 25 and 26. During the event, a member of the audience persistently demanded a Kannada song, prompting the singer to stop and respond.
In a widely circulated video, Sonu is heard saying: “I have sung in different languages. Among them, the best songs are in Kannada. Whenever I come to Karnataka, I come with a lot of love and respect. You all have treated me like family. I always sing Kannada songs when requested. I have been singing in Kannada longer than that youth’s age. But I didn’t like the way he shouted ‘Kannada, Kannada’. It is because of such behaviour that incidents like the Pahalgam attack happen.”
The comment sparked outrage among several Kannada organisations, which demanded an unconditional apology from the singer. Many groups alleged that his remarks insulted Kannadigas, incited linguistic hatred, and portrayed the Kannada community as intolerant.
The complaint claimed, “Sonu Nigam’s statements are objectionable, divisive, and harmful to communal harmony. By mocking a request for a Kannada song and linking it to a terrorist attack, he has disrupted public harmony and insulted the dignity of Kannadigas. His remarks have caused deep emotional distress and risk sparking linguistic unrest in Karnataka.”
Some groups also demanded a ban on the singer from performing in Karnataka.
In response to the backlash, Sonu Nigam issued a clarification via Instagram on Saturday. In a video, he insisted that his comments were not directed at the Kannada-speaking community but at a small group of misbehaving individuals.
“There were only 4–5 goons who were shouting. In fact, thousands of people were stopping them. I remember the girls were shouting at them, telling them, ‘Don’t disturb the scene’. It was very important to remind them that when the pants were removed in Pahalgam, the language was not asked. Kannadigas are very nice people,” he said.
He further added, “Please do not generalise the entire Kannadiga community. There are 4–5 such bad people everywhere. I intended to perform an hour-long set of my songs in Kannada. But it’s also important to stand against those who try to threaten or provoke.”
The singer maintained that his comment was aimed at discouraging language-based aggression, not at criticising Kannada culture or people.
Meanwhile, the viral video and Sonu Nigam’s subsequent clarification continue to draw mixed reactions online and in political circles.
The matter is under police investigation.