After making remarks about the Pahalgam terror attack at a recent Bengaluru concert that sparked criticism and resulted in a police complaint, singer Sonu Nigam is now at the centre of a controversy.
The singer's comments during an event at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Virgonagar on April 25–26 prompted the Bengaluru police to file a formal complaint against him.
According to Nigam, a small group of young men approached him during the musical performance and threatened to make him sing in Kannada. Soon after, the situation intensified, evoking strong responses from Kannada community segments and on social media.
Responding to the controversy, Sonu Nigam posted a video statement on Instagram, clarifying his intentions and defending his words. He stated, 'While I was singing my first song, there was a bunch of four-to-five students who were not demanding, but actually threateningly asking me to sing in Kannada. There were many people in the audience who tried to stop them and asked them to not cause disturbance.'
Further elaborating on his response during the event, he added, "Unn paanchon ko yeh yaad dilana aur batana bahut zaruri tha ki Pahalgam mein jab pant utaari gayi thi, tab bhaasha nahin poochi gayi thi... Har jagah iss tarah ke log hote hain." Nigam clarified that his statement was directed only at the individuals involved in the disruption and not the entire Kannada-speaking population. "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."
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The singer reiterated his long-standing connection with Karnataka, noting, "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." He emphasised that he has always sung Kannada songs when requested and has done so for many years.
However, his remarks linking the aggressive demand to sing in Kannada with a terror attack were not well received. Several public figures, including Kannada film producer Karthik Gowda and activist SR Govindu, have criticised his comments, accusing him of making insensitive and divisive statements.
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