'Pahalgam Mein Jab...': Sonu Nigam Issues Clarification On Bengaluru Concert Amid Controversy

Singer Sonu Nigam landed in controversy after pro-Kannada organisations filed complaints against him for ‘promoting enmity, defamation, and outraging linguistic sentiments' during his concert in Bengaluru. Days after the incident, the singer took to his Instagram account to issue a clarification and stress that ‘Kannadigas are beautiful people’ and that at the concert, '4-5 young boys' disrespected him. In his video, Sonu Nigam argued that while killing the innocent tourists in Pahalgam, the terrorists did not ask what language they spoke.

Sonu Nigam shares clarification in Bengaluru concert row

In a video shared on May 3, Sonu Nigam said, “Sirf chaar-panch gunday type the jo waha pe chilla rahe the. In fact, waha ke hazaron log unko mana bhi kar rahe the. There were girls who were telling them not to shout and disturb the scene. Unn paachon ko yeh batana aur yaad dilana zarori tha ke Pahalgam mein jab pant utri gayi thu, toh bhasha nahi puchi gayi thi.”

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In addition to this, the singer said, “Kannadigas are very sweet people. But, in every place and state, there are a few people who are bad. So, it is important to let them know that they cannot threaten you as an audience to make you sing. I had come with a set of an hour of Kannada songs, but people who try to provoke others, it is important to stop them." He added,  “Kannadigas are beautiful people, so don’t generalise them. There were only 4-5 guys who threatened me that too after the first song. They were not demanding, they were threatening. You can ask the people around." 
 

What happened at Sonu Nigam's Bengaluru concert?

The issue first came to light when a group of boys started chanting, ‘Kannada, Kannada’ at the singer's concert when he was performing his Hindi songs.  Even though this irked Sonu Nigam, he simply replied, "I have sung songs in all languages. But the best songs that I have sung in my life are Kannada songs. Main aapke beech mein jab bhi aata hoon bohut pyaar se aata hoon. Shows toh roz karte hain hum log, lekin jab kabhi bhi Karnataka mein kahi bhi shows hote hain hum bohut izzat se aate hai kyuki aap logo ne humein apna pariwaar maan hai."

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However, the singer made his objection to the concert attendee's tone clear. He said, “Mujhe accha nahi laga ki waha ek ladka jiski umar, jitni uske umar nahi hogi use pehle toh main Kannada gaane garaha hoon. He was so rudely threatening me, 'Kannada, Kannada'. Yahi kaaran hai, Pahalgam mein jo hua hai na? Yahi kaaran hai jo kar rahe ho, jo kiya tha na abhi? Dekho toh kaun saamne khada hai.”

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This sparked a massive outrage against him online, with fans criticising him for likening the request to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 22 innocent, unarmed tourists. A pro-Kannada organisation even filed a police complaint against the singer, saying that his statements have deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community, incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka, and are likely to provoke violence. The President of the Bengaluru city district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) lodged the FIR.