Harsha Man Maharjan
The debate regarding singer Durgesh Thapa’s new song, “Bicha Bichama -4 (Khyassa Putali)”, released on Youtube on 23 July 2021 on the occasion of Teej show that a group of people are not happy with the use of the words, “Khyassa Putali”. Just a day earlier, the National Folk and Duet Song Academy Nepal had requested the singer to change these two “objectionable” words and after the singer did not follow their request, it has been reported that this organization is planning to boycott the singer and the song. This situation has created the debate regarding the shrinking of digital spaces in Nepal. Let us see the other two cases in brief.
Shrinking Digital Spaces
This first case is related to “national security”. A video was made public on the Youtube channel with the title “Deshdrohi” on August 18, 2020. The lyrics of the video criticizes Brahmins and Chhetris and it contains visuals of burning the national flag .On social media, many audiences called the video “racist” and “antinationalist” and demanded that the video and its team be booked according to the law. By August 18, 2020 its camera person was arrested and the police started to look for other members including the singer, Gyalzen Dorje Tamang, who surrendered before the police on 19 August, 2020. The singer remained in the jail for six months under the charges of offence against the state according to the article 49 of the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017 and was released on bail after paying NRs. 1,00,000 on February 15, 2021. In an interview he mentioned that the national flag was adapted from India and the flag did not reflect the ethos of secularism. Read full article
