Days after Sonu Nigam’s video at a concert in Bengaluru went viral, the singer has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding the incident. Sonu allegedly had refused to perform in Kannada upon a fan’s request and had even brought up the Pahalgam attack – and received flak for it. 

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On Monday, the Bollywood singer took to Instagram to explain what happened. 

Sonu Nigam responds to viral video

Sonu wrote in his note that he has given ‘unprecedented love’ to language, culture, music and musicians of not just Karnataka but ‘anywhere in the world’. Sonu also stated that he ‘revered’ his Kannada songs more than even Hindi.

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The singer revealed that he has more than an hour of Kannada songs that he prepares whenever he is in Karnataka.

Singer Sonu Nigam clarifies his Pahalgam comments made at recent Bengaluru concert

 However, he claimed that a fan ‘humiliated’ him at the concert. The singer said he was ‘threatened’ by someone his son’s age. He wrote, “I am not a young lad to take humiliation from anyone. I am 51 years old, in the second half of my life and am entitled to take offence for someone as young as my son threatening me directly in front of thousands in the name of language that too Kannada which is my second language when it comes to my work. That too after my first song of the concert! He provoked a few more. Their own people were embarrassed and were asking them to shut up.”

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Sonu claimed that he told them ‘politely and lovingly’ that the concert has just begun and that he will not ‘let them down’. However, the singer claimed they were ‘hell bent on creating ruckus’ and threatening him ‘wildly’. “Tell me who is at fault?” he questioned, adding, “Being a patriot that I am, I loathe anyone trying to create hate in the name of language, caste or religion especially after what transpired in Pahalgam.” He said ‘thousands of students and teachers cheered’ him when he schooled them and that eventually, he did perform Kannada songs at the concert.

 

Police issue notice to Sonu Nigam

Days after the video went viral, the Bengaluru District Police took cognisance of the FIR filed against Sonu on May 3 for ‘making hurtful remarks about the Kannadiga community.’ They issued a notice to Sonu, asking him to appear before the investigation officer within a week, according to ANI.

Addressing the notice sent to him, Sonu said, “I leave it up to the sensible people of Karnataka to decide who is at fault here. I will accept your verdict gracefully. I fully respect and trust the law agencies and the Police of Karnataka and will comply with whatever is expected from me. I have received divine love from Karnataka and will cherish it always with no malice whatsoever,r irrespective of your verdict.”

Watch: Sonu Nigam refers to the Pahalgam attack as a fan demands him to sing in Kannada; Internet has mixed reaction

 The complaint was lodged by Dharmaraj A, President of the Bengaluru City District Unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada group. The FIR includes charges under Sections 351(2), 352(1), and 353 of the Indian Penal Code. The complaint accuses Sonu Nigam of making ‘objectionable and emotionally provocative’ statements that have hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community and incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka.

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