Sonu Nigam Kannada song controversy: Police have booked renowned singer Sonu Nigam after he allegedly took offence at how he was asked to sing a Kannada song at a Bengaluru event, retorting that "this was the attitude that resulted in the Pahalgam attack". After a complaint was lodged alleging Sonu Nigam insulted the people of Karnataka with his comment, the Avalahalli police registered an FIR under sections 351(1) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and 353 (public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Saturday. On April 25, when Sonu Nigam performed at East Point College of Engineering in Avalahalli, an audience member requested that he sing a Kannada song. Nigam, who has sung numerous hit Kannada songs, allegedly took offence at the manner of the request. Video of Sonu Nigam's reaction quickly went viral and drew sharp criticism, particularly for referencing the Pahalgam terrorist attack. And Dharmaraj A, president of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike’s Bengaluru district unit, filed a police complaint stating the comments could incite tensions between linguistic groups within Karnataka. “By equating a simple request to sing a Kannada song with a terrorist act, Sonu Nigam insulted the Kannadiga community and conflated their cultural pride and linguistic identity with violence and intolerance,” the complaint read. After the FIR was registered, Sonu Nigam issued a clarification, which also mentioned the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 lives last month. “The best songs I have sung are in Kannada. Whenever I perform in Karnataka, I do so with a lot of respect. You have treated me like family. But I didn’t appreciate it when a boy over there insisted I sing in Kannada. I’ve been singing in Kannada for more years than his age. He was shouting ‘Kannada, Kannada' in a rude and threatening tone. This attitude is the reason behind incidents like the Pahalgam attack. Look at who’s standing here—I love Kannadigas, I love you all,” he said.
