Sonu Nigam has once again found himself at the centre of yet another controversy. This time, it has led to a legal consequence. Sonu Nigam was performing at a show in Avalahalli when a member of the audience requested him to sing a Kannada song.

The singer took offense over the request and took it so far as to compare it with the recent heinous Pahalgam attack. Here’s what happened:

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Sonu Nigam has sung a number of songs in Kannada. On April 25, Sonu Nigam was performing at the East Point College of Engineering in Avalahalli when a person from the audience requested him to sing a Kannada song. The singer got offended by the request and went on to associate it with the Pahalgam terror attack, construing the request as a way to perpetuate the ongoing language and caste war in Karnataka.

In response to the song request, Sonu Nigam said, “The best songs I have sung are in Kannada. Whenever I do shows in Karnataka, I come with a lot of respect. You have considered me as a part of your family. I didn’t like it when a boy over there asked me to sing in Kannada. The number of years I’ve been singing in Kannada must be more than his age. He was so rudely threatening, ‘Kannada, Kannada’. This is the reason for the Pahalgam attack; what was done here just now. Look at who is standing before you. I love Kannadigas, I love you guys.”

The clip of the singer’s confrontational rant went viral and was heavily criticised for comparing the incident to the horrific Pahalgam terrorist attack in April, which resulted in the death of 26 people.

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Following the outrage, Dharmaraj A, president of the Bengaluru district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, filed a complaint against Sonu Nigam for using provocative language intended to disrupt communal peace.

Dharamaraj, in a statement, said Sonu Nigam had deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community, incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka, and was likely to provoke violence.

His complaint stated, “By linking a simple request to sing a Kannada song to a terrorist act, Sonu Nigam insulted the Kannadiga community and equated their cultural pride and linguistic identity with violence and intolerance.”

The complaint also said that Sonu Nigam’s remarks had led to widespread anger and resentment among Kannadigas and raised concerns about potential attacks on Kannadigas in different parts of the country.

The Avalahalli police have registered the case under Sections 351(1) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 353 (public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023.

According to The Hindu, C.K. Baba, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Rural district said that Sonu Nigam compared the demand to the recent Pahalgam attack which did not have any correlation, hurting the sentiments of the people of Karnataka.

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Sonu Nigam responded to the controversy clarifying that his intentions were not meant to hurt anyone and that he was merely there for performing and entertaining.

The singer took to social media to explain that a group of four to five goons had caused disturbance during his event by shouting and threatening him to sing in Kannada.

Sonu Nigam took to his Instagram to post a video that said, "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, 'Don't disturb the scene.' And it was very important to remind them that no one asked for the language when the pants were taken off in the Pahalgam incident... Kannadigas are very nice people. Don't think there's any wave or movement; there are always a few bad people everywhere. I'm sure of it.”

He also issued a detailed statement on May 5, clarifying what happened and why he took offense.

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He said, “There are 100s of videos circulating on social media as a testimony. I have more than an hour of Kannada songs that I prepare for every concert in Karnataka.

However, I am not a young lad to take humiliation from anyone. I am 51 years old, in the second half of my life and am entitled to take offence for someone as young as my son threatening me directly in front of thousands in the name of language that too Kannada which is my second language when it comes to my work. That too right after my first song of the concert! He provoked a few more. Their own people were embarrassed and were asking them to shut up…”

Social and lead images credits: Instagram/sonunigamofficial