Written by: Gaurab KC - 25006, Grade XI
Posted on: 08 December, 2023
What is Censorship?
Censorship refers to blocking or redacting information so people cannot access it. Censorship is implemented to redact harmful, misleading, or offensive content. Censorship is not just limited to the internet. It can be carried out in movies, songs, books, and newspapers as well. People need to be protected from any propaganda, hate speech, or misleading content. This is why countries have adopted policies to censor certain content that they deem harmful to their people. Censorship is a powerful tool. When done right, it brings peace and tranquility. However, if it is misused, it can start conflicts and bring civil unrest.
Nepal’s Controversial History of Censorship
The Constitution of Nepal outlaws all censorship in media. The constitution provides freedom of expression to citizens of Nepal. But in the years 2001-2002, due to the rising political opinions of many journalists, King Gynendra suspended the freedom of expression by censoring all the news headlines that talked badly of the government. Due to this, thousands of journalists were arrested by the authorities. This was a dark time for the people whose right to freedom of expression was being.
The advent of democracy reinstalled the freedom of expression to the people. However, it still is heavily debated since there are many cases of popular news headlines by journalists being censored due to their content. Therefore, the situation is still in a gray area due to its unpredictable nature even to this day.
Censorship in the Internet and Cinema
The internet is controlled by the government here in Nepal. Any content that is deemed inappropriate will be censored for Nepalese citizens using the internet. This poses a dangerous threat to everyone since the government’s control of the internet causes freedom of speech to be suppressed. Some information may also be censored if the government deems it inappropriate. Many articles by journalists, some pages in Wikipedia, and websites of foreign news networks are blocked by the government of Nepal.
Social media is also heavily restricted. The recent TikTok ban on the 13th of November caused many discussions and sparked international debate. The government of Nepal has stated that the reason for the ban was due to the ‘Disruption of social harmony’.
Other social media sites also are not away from the government's control. Popular sites like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X are also not safe from being censored by the government. It is ultimately very hard to find information that is censored by the government on the internet. It can only be accessed by using digital loopholes. The use of VPNs is also widely practiced by Nepalese citizens to evade the government's grasp.
The authorization of Films is also carried out by the government of Nepal. There are many reasons for films to be censored in Nepal. The reasons can be:
· Excess violence
· Gore
· Offensive language/hate speech
· Erotic/Lewd content
· Offense to religion
· Politically biased opinion
· Misinformation or propaganda
· Culture clash
These are some of the reasons for a film being heavily censored or outright banned in Nepal. A recent example is the movie “Oppenheimer” which had two minutes of a scene censored. The main reason for this is the nudity present in the scene. This is why many people are dissatisfied with the government's choice to censor certain media.
Nepal is a secular state even though the majority of its population is Hindu. For instance, Komal Oli is a famous singer and her songs are very popular. Her songs would be played on Radio Nepal due to their sheer popularity. Her Teej song was banned by the government for its erotic and abusive lyrics. In the song, she used the word ‘Badmas’ to refer to lord Shiva which was taken as offensive by the government and was banned.
Censorship for Political Advantage
There are many instances where the government has abused its power to censor media expressing political thoughts, ideas, or criticism. Pashupati Sharma is a famous Nepalese folk singer whose songs are widely listened to by the people. He has many hit songs. One of those songs was called, “Lutna Sake Lut Kancha”. This song was targeted at misconduct of the government of Nepal. The song said that Nepal is the only country where the government is free to loot people. This song has now been removed by the government.
Due to these actions, it is clear that the government does not hesitate to censor any media talking badly about the current political system. Any journalist who wants to expose or talk badly about the government is not free to do so. This leads to the same political parties being voted in over and over again.
Consequences: Silencing the Population
The consequences of censorship in Nepal are obvious. However, censorship is not the main issue here. The main issue is how censorship is being handled. We have seen that censorship is being misused. It has caused our freedom of expression to be controlled by the government, which in turn, is causing the population to be silenced.
It is without a doubt that if we don’t solve this problem, a dark future will await us. A future where every action of the population is being controlled by the government and your digital footprint can cause you to be persecuted. We need to act now for things to change, for the greater good.
