A leader of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike said Sonu Nigam spoke to him today and acknowledged that his earlier statement had hurt the Kannada community. During the conversation, the singer reportedly expressed his willingness to offer a heartfelt apology for his remarks.
The organisation's leader said he had repeatedly clarified that people had no personal enmity with Sonu Nigam. Kannada music lovers have always appreciated his songs, but his particular statement did not go down well with them. This led to protests and widespread resentment among sections of the Kannada community.
The leader said that since Sonu Nigam had apologised, the controversy should now be brought to an end. He added that forgiving those who apologise is part of the generosity and cultural values of Kannada people.
He also recalled how Kannada music lovers have consistently welcomed celebrated singers from outside Karnataka who contributed to Kannada film music. Despite not being Kannadigas, these singers earned the affection of audiences through their work and left a lasting contribution to the industry.
Veteran Singers Who Earned Kannada Audiences' Love
The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader named legendary singers Ghantasala, P. B. Srinivas, K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki, Vani Jairam and Chitra while highlighting the community's longstanding appreciation for artists from different linguistic backgrounds.
He said these singers were not Kannadigas, yet they received immense love from Kannada audiences. Their contributions to Kannada film music, he added, would always be remembered with gratitude.
According to the leader, Sonu Nigam belongs to the same tradition of celebrated singers who have enriched Kannada music. He said it was now time to put the incident behind them and move forward.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Urges Sonu Nigam to Sing More Kannada Songs
The organisation's leader made it clear that the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike was ending its protest over the issue. He described the controversy as a lesson for everyone involved and emphasised the importance of music in bringing people together.
Expressing his own love for music, the leader said it was like a life-giving force that helped people forget the difficulties of life.
He expressed hope that Sonu Nigam would continue singing Kannada songs and that programmes featuring the singer would be organised on Karnataka soil in the future. He concluded by appealing to people to allow love and music to prevail, saying music could make people's lives more beautiful and easier to endure.
Controversy Originated at Bengaluru College Event
The controversy began during an event held on April 25 and 26 at East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru. A statement made by Sonu Nigam during the programme triggered objections after a video of his remarks went viral on social media, fuelling anger among Kannada-speaking people.
ಗಾಯಕ ಸೋನು ನಿಗಮ್ ಇಂದು ನನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಾತಾಡಿದರು. ತಾವು ಹಿಂದೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಒಂದು ಮಾತು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ನೋಯಿಸಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗಿದೆ. ಬೇಷರತ್ತಾಗಿ ಕ್ಷಮೆ ಯಾಚಿಸುವುದಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಹೇಳಿದರು. ನಾನು ಹಿಂದೆಯೂ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ನಾವೆಲ್ಲರೂ ಸೋನು ನಿಗಮ್ ಅವರ ಹಾಡುಗಳನ್ನು ಇಷ್ಟಪಟ್ಟವರು. ಅವರ ಕುರಿತು ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕವಾಗಿ ಯಾವ ದ್ವೇಷ, ಮುನಿಸು ನಮಗೆ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆ ಒಂದು ಮಾತನ್ನು ಅರಗಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ನಮ್ಮಿಂದ ಆಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರತಿಭಟನೆ, ಆಕ್ರೋಶ ಸಹಜವಾಗೆ ಇತ್ತು. ಇದೀಗ ಅವರು ಕ್ಷಮೆ ಯಾಚಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಮುಗಿಸುವುದು ಒಳ್ಳೆಯದು. ಕ್ಷಮೆ ಕೇಳಿದವರನ್ನು ಕ್ಷಮಿಸುವುದು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಔದಾರ್ಯ, ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ. ಘಂಟಸಾಲ, ಪಿ ಬಿ. ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ್, ಯೇಸುದಾಸ್, ಎಸ್. ಜಾನಕಿ, ವಾಣಿ ಜಯರಾಮ್, ಚಿತ್ರಾ ಹೀಗೆ ಅದ್ಭುತ ಗಾಯಕರು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಲ್ಲದೆ ಇದ್ದರೂ ನಾವು ಅವರನ್ನು ಅಪಾರವಾಗಿ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಅವರು ನಮ್ಮ ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರಸಂಗೀತವನ್ನು ಶ್ರೀಮಂತಗೊಳಿಸಿದ ಮಹಾನುಭಾವರು. ಆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞತೆ ಸದಾ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ. ಸೋನು ನಿಗಮ್ ಕೂಡ ಇದೇ ಸಾಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಮಹಾ ಗಾಯಕರಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬರು. ಈ ಕಹಿಘಟನೆಯನ್ನು ಮರೆತುಬಿಡೋಣ. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವೇದಿಕೆ ಈ ಹೋರಾಟವನ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಒಂದು ಪಾಠ. ನಾನು ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕವಾಗಿ ಸಂಗೀತ ಪ್ರೇಮಿ. ಸಂಗೀತ ಮನುಷ್ಯನ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಸಂಕಟಗಳನ್ನು ಮರೆಸುವ ಸಂಜೀವಿನಿ. ಸೋನು ಅವರು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಕನ್ನಡ ಗೀತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹಾಡಲಿ, ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಗಳು ನಡೆಯಲಿ. ಸಂಗೀತ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕನ್ನು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಸಹನೀಯ ಗೊಳಿಸಲಿ, ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಗೆಲ್ಲಲಿ.
— ನಾರಾಯಣಗೌಡ್ರು.ಟಿ.ಎ | Narayanagowdru T.A. (@narayanagowdru) October 19, 2026
Following the incident, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike chief Dharmaraj filed a written complaint against the singer at Avalahalli Police Station.
The complaint accused Sonu Nigam of hurting the sentiments of Kannada-speaking people and inciting hatred between different linguistic communities.
With the singer reportedly acknowledging the hurt caused by his remarks and the organisation announcing that it would end its protest, the development marks a move towards resolving the dispute. The leader's appeal for Sonu Nigam to continue singing Kannada songs also underscores the organisation's stated position that the singer's musical contributions should be considered separately from the controversial statement.
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