Fact Check: AI-Generated Photo Falsely Claims Ashika Tamang Joined The Rastriya Swatantra Party
पुस २०, २०८२ १२:४१
Kathmandu: A photo of social activist Ashika Tamang has been trending on social media since Thursday. The image shows Tamang being welcomed by Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen).
A fact check by the TechPana Fact Check Desk confirms that the photo was generated using artificial intelligence. Ashika Tamang has not joined any political party so far.
Claim
A Facebook post was published by Sushila Shigu Khapung at 12:20 pm on January 1, 2026. The caption read, “Hearty congratulations to Asika Tamang for joining the RSP. The face of Nepal will change now.” The same image appeared three times in the post, arranged slightly differently. As of the time of writing, the post had received more than 4,400 reactions and 896 comments and had been shared 23 times. See the original post, archived post, and screenshot.
Research
During the investigation, the TechPana Fact Check Desk searched Facebook using keywords such as Ashika, Asika, Raswapa, and RSP.
A post by a Facebook user named Chamling Hang using the same image was found. The post included a sarcastic caption describing the image as a wedding-like scene. As of the time of review, the post had received 216 reactions and 28 comments. See the original post, archived post, and screenshot.
Similarly, a Facebook page named Simroungadh New shared three images claiming that Ashika Tamang had joined RSP. See the original post, archived post, and screenshot.
A Facebook page called Rabi Samarthan-Sindhuli posted an image showing Rabi Lamichhane and Ashika Tamang shaking hands. See original post, archive post, and screenshot.
Another page, Miss Pabi 41, shared an image showing what appears to be Ashika Tamang and Balen Shah, claiming that Tamang had joined the RSP. See archive post.
A page named comrade jamu claimed that Ashika Tamang had joined Hark Sampang’s party. See archive post.
Other pages and users, including Lok Star Nepal (archive) and Susan Phuyal (archive), also shared similar claims.
The viral image appears visually unnatural. Although it tries to depict a tika ceremony, Rabi Lamichhane and Balen Shah appear to be applying vermilion in an unrealistic manner. Many users commented sarcastically, congratulating them on a “married life.” The image shows Balen Shah with long hair and a long beard. In reality, he currently has short hair and a trimmed beard following the recent death of his father. The background text in the image looks distorted and meaningless. The Nepali flag also appears damaged and inaccurately rendered.
The image was analyzed using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation. The tool showed that one image had a 51.2 percent likelihood of being AI-generated.
Another image, which claimed that Ashika Tamang joined Hark Sampang’s party, showed a 99.9 percent likelihood of being AI-generated.
After confirming that the images were AI-generated, the Desk examined the claim that Ashika Tamang had joined a political party. Searches were conducted on the official website and social media pages of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Ashika Tamang’s own social media accounts, and Hark Sampang’s platforms.
No announcement or confirmation related to Ashika Tamang joining any party was found. No professional or established media outlets have reported such news either. Based on these findings, it is confirmed that Ashika Tamang has not joined any political party as of the time of preparing this fact check.
Claim
Social activist Ashika Tamang has joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
Claimants
Facebook users Sushila Shigu Khapung, Chamling Hang, Susan Phuyal, and Facebook pages including Simroungadh New, Ravi Pro-Sindhuli, Miss Pabi 41, and Lok Star Nepal.
(Note: Comrade Jamu claimed she joined Hark Sampang’s party.)
Fact
The viral images show multiple visual inconsistencies. Balen Shah’s hair and beard do not match his current appearance. The background text and Nepali flag appear distorted. AI detection using Hive Moderation indicates a high probability that the images were AI-generated.
There is no official statement or credible media report confirming that Ashika Tamang has joined any political party.
Conclusion
The photos circulating on social media that allegedly show Ashika Tamang joining the Rashtriya Swatantra Party or other political parties are misleading and AI-generated. As of the time of preparing this fact check, Ashika Tamang has not joined any political party.
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पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: पुस २०, २०८२ १२:४१
