FIR against Sonu Nigam for linking Kannada song demand with Pahalgam attack

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Police on Saturday registered an FIR against popular singer Sonu Nigam following a controversy over his remarks linking a demand for a Kannada song to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Several Kannada organisations, outraged by his comments, demanded an unconditional apology from him on Friday and subsequently filed a complaint with the police.

The Avalahalli Police in Bengaluru have registered an FIR 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 BNS Act.

The FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Dharmaraj A., President of the Bengaluru City District Unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.

On May 1, during an event organised at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru, while performing, Sonu Nigam noticed that a member of the audience was demanding a Kannada song.

Sonu Nigam stopped singing and made a controversial statement. He said, “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.”

His remarks drew sharp criticism the following day.

Kannada organisations expressed anger over Sonu Nigam’s statement and questioned the connection he made between the song request and a terror attack. Some groups have called for a ban on Sonu Nigam and urged the police to register a suo motu case.

The complaint alleged that Sonu Nigam had insulted Kannadigas and incited hatred between linguistic groups.

The complaint stated that Sonu Nigam made objectionable and emotionally provocative statements during a musical event held on April 25, 26, at the East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru.

“His statements have deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community, incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka, and are likely to provoke violence. A video of Sonu Nigam’s statement has gone viral, causing widespread outrage among millions of Kannadigas across the state,” the complaint read.

“Sonu Nigam’s statements are objectionable, divisive, and harmful to communal harmony. They violate the following sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: BNS Section 352 (1), BNS Section 351 (2) and BNS Section 353.

“By mocking a request for a Kannada song and linking it to a terrorist attack, Sonu Nigam’s statements outraged the linguistic sentiments of the Kannadiga community, which takes immense pride in its language and culture. This act has disrupted public harmony and insulted the dignity of Kannadigas,” the complaint mentioned.

“Sonu Nigam’s statements have caused severe distress to the Kannadiga community. By equating a simple cultural request to sing a Kannada song with a terrorist act, he has portrayed Kannadigas as intolerant or violent, which is contrary to their peace-loving and harmonious nature.

“His statement risks sparking linguistic unrest in Karnataka, a state known for its diversity. Coming from a public figure like Sonu Nigam, who has a vast following, such statements create a negative perception of Kannadigas and foster division among communities, endangering communal harmony,” the complaint charged.

IANS