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🇳🇵 Nepal /Elections & Politics

Online attacks on minister’s wife reveal deep-seated misogyny in Nepal

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Online platforms in Nepal are using repurposed images of the education minister's wife to mock the government and express public dissatisfaction.
  • The satirical memes, often featuring Susmita Adhikari, are rooted in patriarchal mindsets that belittle women, according to a UN Women report.
  • While targeting the minister, the persistent use of Adhikari's image highlights a broader issue of online misogyny and the underrepresentation of women in digital spaces.

Online platforms in Nepal are weaponizing images of Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel's wife, Susmita Adhikari, to criticize the government, revealing a disturbing undercurrent of misogyny in digital discourse. Posts on platforms like 'Interviews Nepal' and 'The Nepali Fever' use Adhikari's likeness in satirical memes, often during times of national crisis like gas shortages or political unrest.

Sasmit! What does a gas tree look like?

— Fictional dialogue in a memeA meme posted on Facebook featuring Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel and his wife, intended to mock the government's failure during a cooking gas shortage.

These memes, frequently repurposed from campaign footage, aim to mock the government's failures. For instance, one post questioned the minister about the "Madhesh situation" using Adhikari's image, while another mocked the Tribhuvan University question paper leak by asking, "What does a paper leak actually mean?" The comments sections are often flooded with similar content, demonstrating a coordinated effort to use Adhikari's image to express public frustration.

Sasmit! What is happening in Madhesh? Is there a Nepal outside Kathmandu as well?

— Meme textA post on 'The Nepali Fever' Facebook page using a repurposed image of the minister and his wife during violent clashes in Sunsari.

Beyond political commentary, these online attacks expose a deeply rooted patriarchal mindset. UN Women reports that women globally face various forms of online abuse, including cyberbullying and character assassination. The memes portraying Adhikari as intellectually incompetent, asking questions like "how far is Sudurpashchim?" or "do cows produce milk or does the dairy?", reflect this broader societal issue. While the primary target may be the minister's performance, the persistent choice to use Adhikari's image underscores a troubling trend of belittling women online.

Sasmit! What does a paper leak actually mean?

— Meme textA meme used on a Facebook page during the Tribhuvan University MBS question paper leak incident.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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