Karnataka group urges police to cancel Sonu Nigam concert

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a pro-Kannada organization, has formally requested the Bengaluru City Police to deny or revoke permission for singer Sonu Nigam’s upcoming concert. The event, part of ‘The Revolution India Tour’, is scheduled for October 24 at the Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru.

The group’s opposition stems from remarks Nigam allegedly made during a performance at East Point College in April 2025. According to the KRV, when a student requested a song in Kannada, Nigam responded by linking the linguistic request to the Pahalgam terror attack, stating, “Kannada, Kannada, Kannada, this is why the incident happened in Pahalgam.”

KRV State President T. A. Narayan Gowda stated that these comments insulted the self-respect of the Kannada-speaking community and could lead to law-and-order issues. The organization has warned of statewide protests across Karnataka if the concert is allowed to proceed.