A pro-Kannada group called Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Yuva Sene has protested against Sunny Leone's participation in a New Year's Eve performance in Bengaluru. The event featuring the actress is called 'Sunny Night in Bengaluru NYE 2018.'

A pro-Kannada group called Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Yuva Sene has protested against Sunny Leone's participation in a New Year's Eve performance in Bengaluru. The event featuring the actress is called 'Sunny Night in Bengaluru NYE 2018.'

A report by India Today dated Friday, 15 December 2017, said the fringe group has now threatened to commit mass suicide if Leone performs on stage; they have demanded that the event be called off. They also burnt posters of the actress and raised slogans against her a week earlier.

India Today's report quoted the state president of the protesting group as saying, "We are against Sunny wearing short clothes. If she wears a sari and takes part in the event, even we'll go watch her. Sunny doesn't have a good past. We shouldn't be encouraging such people. We will not hesitate to commit suicide on 31 December."

Syed Minaj, general secretary of the protesting group, expressed displeasure over Leone's past stint as an adult film performer. He says,"We all know who Sunny Leone is, she is not an Indian or a Kannadiga. We know her history, we don't want her to spoil the culture of the land," reports India Today.

A few days ago, the same pro-Kannada group had claimed they would go on a 15-district protest drive.

A spokesperson from the organising committe of the event said that the event would not harm the culture of the state. The event is a family programme and is based around Karnataka's culture and traditions, the spokesperson added.