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In an Instagram post, Sonu Nigam said that it was not just a demand made for a Kannada song, but a threat. It was important to remind them that, during the Pahalgam attack, people were not asked their language, he added.
Bengaluru: Renowned Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam is facing legal trouble for making objectionable remarks to a song request, linking it as a reason why terror attacks such as Pahalgam happen. A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against him at the Jayanagar Police Station following a complaint which alleged that the comments hurt the sentiments of Kannadigas at an event in Bengaluru.
What happened?
Sonu Nigam recently visited Bengaluru to promote his new Hindi song 'Sun Zara'. During an event at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru, the singer referred to the Pahalgam attack when requested to sing a song in the local language. “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 said. These statements sparked controversy on social media and drew outrage from Kannadigas.
Complaint from Kannada Rakshana Vedike
Taking Sonu Nigam's statements seriously, the Kannada Rakshana Vedike (KaRaVe) sought action against the singer. KaRaVe State Secretary Manjunath Gowda filed a complaint against Sonu Nigam at the Jayanagar Police Station in Bengaluru. The complaint insists that Sonu Nigam's words have hurt the self-respect of Kannadigas and that he should immediately apologize.
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“By linking a simple request to sing a Kannada song to a terrorist act in which 26 people were killed, Sonu Nigam insulted the Kannadiga community and equated their cultural pride and linguistic identity with violence and intolerance,” the complaint read.
Sections filed
Based on the complaint filed by KaRaVe, the police have registered an FIR against Sonu Nigam under sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to harmony) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Sonu Nigam defends comment
In an Instagram post, Sonu Nigam said that it was not just a demand made for a Kannada song, but a threat. “It was important to remind them that, during the Pahalgam attack, people were not asked their language. They were shouting like goons, and others tried to stop them from making a scene,” he said, adding that Kannadigas were lovely people and seeds of hate cannot be sown in the land of love.
