Did Karnataka Police Summon Sonu Nigam Over His Remarks on a Kannada Song Demand?

Bengaluru, May 5 (NationPress) The Karnataka police have issued a summons to renowned singer Sonu Nigam, requiring him to attend an interrogation concerning an FIR filed against him. This complaint relates to his comments that linked a demand for a Kannada song to the recent Pahalgam terror attack during a Bengaluru event, sources revealed on Monday.

The Avalahalli police in Bengaluru, currently investigating this case, have instructed Sonu Nigam to present himself within a week.

Previously, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara indicated that the authorities would take necessary measures against the singer.

Simultaneously, another case has been initiated against Sonu Nigam by the Raita Karmika Okkuta at the Kote police station in Chitradurga district.

H.M. Shashidhar, the organization's president, demanded an unconditional apology from Sonu Nigam for his remarks that allegedly insulted the people of Karnataka by connecting their call for a Kannada song to the Pahalgam incident.

Shashidhar further warned that failure to apologize would lead to members of his group blackening the singer's face during his visits to the state.

Activists supporting Kannada culture are also planning to hold protests whenever Sonu Nigam attends police questioning in Bengaluru.

On the previous Saturday, the Karnataka Police registered an FIR against the famous singer after uproar over his comments linking the song request to the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred on April 22.

Numerous Kannada organizations, incensed by his statements, demanded a public apology on Friday, leading to a police complaint.

The Avalahalli police recorded the FIR under Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (statements inciting public mischief), and 352(1) (intentional insult aimed at provoking a disturbance) of the BNS Act.

This FIR was filed based on a complaint from Dharmaraj A., the president of the Bengaluru City District Unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.

During a performance on May 1 at the East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru, Sonu Nigam halted his singing when an audience member requested a Kannada song.

He remarked, “I have sung in various languages, and the best songs come from Kannada. I visit Karnataka with immense love and respect, and you all treat me like family. I’ve been honored to sing Kannada songs for longer than that youth’s age. However, I was uncomfortable with his manner of demanding ‘Kannada, Kannada.’ Such behavior leads to incidents like the Pahalgam attack.”

His statements faced immediate backlash the next day.

Various Kannada organizations expressed their outrage over Sonu Nigam’s remarks, questioning the correlation he drew between the song request and a terrorist incident. Some factions have called for a ban on him and requested the police to take suo motu action.

The complaint alleged that Sonu Nigam had insulted Kannadigas and stirred animosity among linguistic groups.

According to the complaint, Sonu Nigam made inflammatory and emotionally charged remarks during a musical event held on April 25-26 at the East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru.

“His comments have deeply wounded the sentiments of the Kannadiga community, incited hatred among various linguistic groups in Karnataka, and could potentially incite violence. A video of Sonu Nigam’s remarks has gone viral, leading to widespread anger among millions of Kannadigas statewide,” the complaint stated.

“His statements are divisive and harmful to communal harmony. They violate multiple 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 act, Sonu Nigam has offended the linguistic pride of the Kannadiga community, known for its rich culture. This has disrupted public peace and tarnished the dignity of Kannadigas,” the complaint noted.

“Sonu Nigam's words have caused considerable distress among the Kannadiga community. By equating a simple cultural request for a Kannada song with a terrorist act, he has painted Kannadigas as intolerant or violent, which contradicts their peaceful nature.

His comments pose a risk of igniting linguistic unrest in Karnataka, noted for its cultural diversity. Coming from a prominent figure like Sonu Nigam, such statements could foster division among communities and jeopardize communal harmony,” the complaint contended.

In response to the growing controversy, Sonu Nigam posted a video defending his comments, which has further intensified the situation.

He claimed, “While I was performing my first song, a group of four to five students were not merely requesting but threatening me to sing in Kannada. Many in the audience attempted to intervene, asking them to stop causing a disturbance. It was essential to remind them of the Pahalgam incident, where no one inquired about their language.”