In a recent event, a young boy had rudely asked Sonu Nigam to sing in Kannada after which Sonu reacted and said things like, ‘Mujhe accha nahi laga ki jitna uss ladke ki umar nahi hogi usse pehle toh main Kannada gaane gaa raha hoon. (I didn’t like that boy I have been singing Kannada songs before he was even born).’ The singer even referred to the Pahalgam incident and said ‘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. (This is the reason behind what happened in Pahalgam. This is exactly why. Look first at who is standing in front of you).’He also added, ‘I love Kannadigas, I love you guys.’
After this incident, Legal action was taken against the singer.
Now the singer has shared a long note on his social media saying, ‘Namaskara
I have given unprecedented love to the language, the culture, the music, the musicians, the state and the people not just when I am in Karnataka but anywhere else in the world. Infact I have revered my Kannada songs way more than my songs in other languages including Hindi. There are 100s of videos circulating on social media as a testimony. I have more than hour of Kannada songs that I prepare for every concert when in Karnataka.
However, 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 right after my first song of the concert! He provoked a few more. Their own people were embarrassed and were asking them to shut up..
I told them very politely and lovingly the show has just started, it’s my first song and that I will not let them down, but they have to let me continue with the concert the way I have planned. Every artiste has a song list prepared so the musicians and technicians are in sync. But they were hell bent on creating ruckus and threatening me wildly. Tell me who is at fault?
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. I had to school them, and I did, and thousands of students and teachers cheered me for it. The matter got over and I sang Kannada for more than an hour. It’s all there on social media..
I leave it upto 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 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 irrespective of your verdict.’
After his post went viral, a lot of people came in support of the singer and commented.
