NEW DELHI: An FIR has been registered against renowned singer Sonu Nigam following allegations of disrespectful comments about the Kannadiga community during a musical programme in Bengaluru.
The complaint was initiated by Dharmaraj A, who heads the Bengaluru city district unit of Karnataka rakshana vedike, an organisation advocating for Kannada interests.
The allegations claimed that Sonu Nigam made “objectionable and emotionally provocative” remarks that offended the Kannadiga community’s sensibilities and fostered discord amongst various linguistic groups in Karnataka.
The official complaint stated, “This complaint is lodged against the renowned singer Shri Sonu Nigam for making objectionable and emotionally provocative statements during a musical event held on April 25 and 26, at East Point College of Engineering and Technology, Virgonagar, Bengaluru, which falls under your police station’s jurisdiction. 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 Shri Sonu Nigam’s statement has gone viral, causing widespread outrage among millions of Kannadigas across the state.”
The event took place while the singer was performing at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Virgonagar, Bengaluru, on April 25. When a fan persistently requested him to perform a Kannada song, Sonu refused, stating that the fan was making demands in an aggressive manner. He then stated, “Yahi kaaran hai, Pahalgam mein jo hua hai na. Yahi kaaran hai jo kar rahe ho, jo kiya tha na abhi. Dekho toh kaun saamne khada hai.” The response drew severe backlash from not just the Kannadiga community but also from public across India, who spoke against making the comparison.
Police officials have registered the case under Sections 351(2), 352(I), and 353 of the Indian Penal Code and have commenced their investigation.
The controversial remarks were delivered during a stage performance and were recorded on video, which subsequently spread across social media platforms, triggering significant backlash from Karnataka residents.