Sonu Nigam did not make derogatory remarks about the BJP; the viral image is digitally edited
A graphic purportedly from the Hindi news channel Aaj Tak and featuring singer Sonu Nigam’s photo, is being shared on social media (here, here, here, and here) with claims that Nigam had called the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “a bunch of fools” who are incapable of responding to the Pahalgam terror attack. Let’s verify the claim made in the post through this article.
Claim: A graphic with the Aaj Tak logo shows singer Sonu Nigam making derogatory remarks about the BJP.
Fact: The viral graphic is digitally edited. The original post by Aaj Tak did not mention any derogatory remarks about the BJP. Sonu Nigam has also clarified on Instagram that the graphic is fake and fabricated. No such comment about the BJP was found in the video, media reports, or the FIR. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A Google Lens search of the viral screenshot led us to an X post by Aaj Tak dated 03 May 2025, which featured the same image. The post mentioned that singer Sonu Nigam landed in trouble after making a statement during a music concert held in Bengaluru on 25–26 April, which sparked a ruckus. An FIR has been registered against him at the Avalahalli Police Station in Bengaluru for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Kannada community. Nowhere in the description was it mentioned that Sonu Nigam made derogatory remarks about the BJP, and it is evident that the viral image was digitally edited.
A comparison of the original post and the edited image is shown below.
To gather more information about the controversy, we conducted a Google keyword search using relevant keywords and found multiple reports on the incident (here, here, and here). According to these reports, Sonu Nigam made a statement during a music concert held in Bengaluru on 25–26 April, which led to a ruckus. While performing one of his popular Hindi songs, he abruptly paused when a student in the audience began shouting “Kannada, Kannada” in a harsh and demanding tone. Visibly displeased, the singer addressed the situation on stage. He went on to draw a parallel with a controversial incident in Pahalgam, using it as a metaphor for intolerance, and added, “This kind of hostility fuels the kind of unrest we saw in Pahalgam.”
We also found this video from the concert that went viral. In the video, Sonu Nigam is seen saying, “Throughout my musical journey, I’ve sung in many languages, but some of my most memorable work has been in Kannada… However, I felt deeply hurt when that young man, who hasn’t spent as much time in this industry as I have, tried to intimidate me into singing in Kannada. This is the reason behind the incident in Pahalgam. Please see who is standing before you. I love you guys.”
We also accessed the FIR copy related to the case, which corroborates the information reported in the media. The FIR was filed against Sonu Nigam for allegedly making remarks that hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community during a concert in Bengaluru on 25–26 April 2025. However, nowhere in the FIR is it mentioned that he made any derogatory remarks about the BJP.
We found a video on Sonu Nigam’s official Instagram handle where he clarified his stance on the incident. In the video, he said, “Only 4–5 goons were shouting. Thousands of others were respectful. Please do not generalise the entire Kannadiga community. Kannadigas are very nice people.”
Additionally, Sonu Nigam also addressed the viral Aaj Tak graphic on his Instagram story, calling it fake and fabricated. He clarified that he has no connection to the edited post falsely attributing anti-BJP remarks to him and misusing Aaj Tak’s logo.
To sum up, this viral graphic is digitally edited, and the original post by Aaj Tak did not mention any derogatory remarks about the BJP.