Bengaluru, May 4:
Bengaluru Police has booked popular playback singer Sonu Nigam after he made a controversial statement during a live show at East Point College of Engineering and Technology on April 25. This was when a woman from the audience insisted again and again on singing a Kannada song.
Reacting, Nigam purportedly said, "Kannada, Kannada. This is why there was a mishap in Pahalgam," addressing a recent act of terror. The statement has since ignited across-the-board condemnation and outrage, especially from pro-Kannada factions that felt it was a demeaning juxtaposition between local language pride and terrorism.
After the commotion, one local Kannada activist has filed a complaint against the singer, alleging that he insulted Kannada culture and offended the sentiments of people. On the basis of the complaint, an FIR has been lodged against Sonu Nigam under sections of public mischief, criminal intimidation, and intentional insult.
In response to the uproar, Nigam gave a video statement narrating his side. He stated that he was aggressively pressurized by some individuals requesting that he sing in Kannada. He explained that his reference to the Pahalgam attack was only to make known the possibility of harm being done due to such pressure and not to draw any analogy between Kannada culture and terrorism. He emphasized that he respects the Kannada language and requested that people keep in mind his history with Kannada music spanning decades.
The police are conducting investigations into the incident while it continues to arouse controversy around linguistic sensitivity and artistic liberty during public performances.
