Pro-Kannada Group Files Police Complaint Against Singer Sonu Nigam Over Alleged Remarks at Bengaluru Event
A major controversy erupted in Karnataka after Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KaRaVe), a prominent pro-Kannada organization, lodged a police complaint against renowned singer Sonu Nigam for allegedly making objectionable and provocative remarks during a recent musical event in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru: A major controversy erupted in Karnataka after Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KaRaVe), a prominent pro-Kannada organization, lodged a police complaint against renowned singer Sonu Nigam for allegedly making objectionable and provocative remarks during a recent musical event in Bengaluru.
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The complaint was filed by Dharmaraj A, President of the Bengaluru City District Unit of KaRaVe, at the local police station under whose jurisdiction the East Point College of Engineering and Technology, Virgonagar falls. The musical event in question was held on April 25–26, and a video of Nigam’s alleged comments has since gone viral, sparking widespread outrage among Kannadigas.
Remarks Linked to Pahalgam Terror Attack
According to the complaint, during the concert, a student had requested Sonu Nigam to sing a Kannada song, to which the singer allegedly responded with a controversial remark:
“Kannada, Kannada, Kannada, this is exactly why the incident happened in Pahalgam.”
This reference to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, where 26 tourists were killed, has been perceived as equating a simple cultural request to an act of terrorism, which the complaint says “insults the Kannadiga community” and portrays them as violent or intolerant.
Accusations of Provoking Hatred
In the complaint, Dharmaraj claimed that Nigam’s statement “deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community” and “incited hatred among linguistic groups”, which could potentially lead to violence and unrest in Karnataka and beyond.
He urged the police to register a case against Sonu Nigam under Sections 352(1), 351(2), and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, for promoting enmity, criminal defamation, and outraging linguistic sentiments.
Call for Legal Action and Apology
The organization demanded a thorough investigation, including video evidence from the event and statements from attendees present on April 30, when Nigam had reportedly revisited the campus.
Pro-Kannada organizations and Kannada film artists have taken to social media to express their anger and disappointment, demanding that the singer publicly apologize for his remarks.
The Bengaluru Police are yet to issue an official response regarding the registration of the case or further legal action.
As the incident gains traction online, it has reignited debates around linguistic sensitivity, freedom of speech, and cultural respect in public discourse.
