The Bengaluru police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against singer Sonu Nigam based on the complaint by the local unit of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. The complaint alleges that the singer made “objectionable and emotionally provocative statements” likely to incite hatred and provoke violence.
The Avalahalli police on Saturday, May 3, booked the singer for criminal intimidation, public mischief and intentional insult to provoke breach of peace.
On April 25, Sonu Nigam was performing at the East Point College of Engineering in Avalahalli when a member of the audience requested him to sing a Kannada song. The singer took offence to the request and linked it to the Pahalgam terror attack.
In response to the song request, Sonu Nigam, who has sung umpteen hit songs for Kannada films, 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 [the audience member] 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 video of the singer’s statement went viral and was heavily criticised for drawing parallels to the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which resulted in the death of 26 people. Following the outrage, Dharmaraj A, president of the Bengaluru district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, filed a complaint. Dharamaraj 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.
“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 stated.
The complaint also said that Sonu Nigam’s comments had led to widespread anger among Kannadigas and raised concerns about potential attacks on Kannadigas in different parts of the country. The 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 BNS.