Sonu Nigam Charged For 'Pahalgam' Response To Kannada Song Demand

Singer Sonu Nigam's recent remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack during a show in Bengaluru have landed him in trouble, with police in the city registering a first information report (FIR) on Saturday. The singer has also posted on social media, defending his comments and claiming that he was threatened.

During a musical event held on April 25-26 at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru's Virgonagar, Mr Nigam was allegedly repeatedly asked to sing in Kannada by a young man, prompting an angry response. 

"I have sung in different languages, including Kannada. Whenever I come to Karnataka, I come with a lot of love and respect. You all have treated me like family," the singer said in Hindi.

"I always sing Kannada songs when requested. I have been singing in Kannada before that young man was born. But I didn't like the way he shouted 'Kannada, Kannada'. It is because of such behaviour that incidents like the Pahalgam attack happen," he added.

The comments sparked outrage and condemnation, including from film producer Karthik Gowda and Kannada activist SR Govindu.

On Friday, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organisation, filed a complaint at the Avalahalli Police Station in Bengaluru alleging that Mr Nigam's statements have hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community. 

"The statements have incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka, and are likely to provoke violence. A video of Shri Sonu Nigam's statement has gone viral, causing widespread outrage among millions of Kannadigas across the state," the complaint said. 

"On April 25 - 26, during a musical event at East Point College, it is reported that a student requested Shri Sonu Nigam to sing a Kannada song. In response, Shri Nigam made an objectionable statement, saying, 'Kannada, Kannada, Kannada, this is exactly why the incident happened in Pahalgam'... By linking a simple request to sing a Kannada song to a terrorist act in which 26 people were killed, Shri Nigam insulted the Kannadiga community and equated their cultural pride and linguistic identity with violence and intolerance," it added. 

The singer's statements, the organisation said, have also raised concerns about "potential attacks" on Kannadigas in different parts of the country.

Based on the complaint, an FIR has been filed against the singer under sections related to promoting enmity between groups, defamation and outraging religious or linguistic sentiments.

Singer's Defence

In a post on Instagram on Saturday afternoon, Mr Nigam said what he faced at the event was not a demand for a Kannada song, but a threat. 

"The four to five people who were shouting were like goons... several other people tried to stop them. It was important to remind them that, during the Pahalgam attack, people were not asked their language. Kannadigas are a lovely people... It was important to remind those four or five people that you cannot allow people to threaten you. You cannot have people sowing seeds of hate in a land of love. They were not demanding, they were threatening," the singer said in Hindi.

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