Sachin Timalsina Warns of Rising Hate Speech and Trolling at World Press Freedom Day Programme Organized by TechPana and UNESCO

Kathmandu. Nepali Congress youth leader Sachin Timalsina has said that online trolling and hate speech have become deeply rooted in Nepal’s political culture, warning that the trend is likely to intensify in the coming days. Speaking at a program organized by TechPana and UNESCO for World Press Freedom Day, Timalsina shared how his personal history and family background have prepared him for the harsh reality of today’s digital world. 

Recalling his family’s experience during Nepal’s conflict period, he said politics had always been associated with hostility and public attacks, which made him less affected by online abuse. He added that people hiding behind fake social media accounts often engage in insults and harassment without accountability. 

Timalsina said he remains firm in his political affiliation with the Nepali Congress because of ideological alignment, arguing that mistakes committed by individuals should not define an entire party with hundreds of thousands of members. He also rejected accusations frequently directed at members of older political parties on social media, saying such labels no longer affect him. 

Commenting on Nepal’s media landscape, Timalsina argued that Nepal’s mainstream media remains comparatively more balanced and responsible than that of several other South Asian countries. He expressed concern over growing attacks on mainstream media institutions, saying attempts to portray the media as “thieves” based on isolated incidents have weakened public trust in journalism. 

He warned that weakening mainstream media could create space for misinformation and unverified narratives spread through social media platforms. Referring to political discussions circulating on TikTok and other online platforms, he said many economically or politically inaccurate claims are increasingly accepted as truth by the public. 

Timalsina also described Kathmandu’s current political environment as increasingly aggressive and intolerant. He criticized political leaders for using violent remarks and said such behavior encourages online harassment and hate speech among supporters and the general public. He states that when the leadership itself is neither responsible nor accountable, online harassment and hate speech increase even more. Many of those who are currently in power have reached there by taking advantage of this culture of “hate” and abuse. Therefore, they do not want to remove this culture. Timalsina further claims that hate speech and trolling will increase further, and that we must be mentally prepared. 

According to him, several political actors have benefited from the culture of hate and abuse, making them unwilling to challenge it. He stressed the need to strengthen digital literacy, compassion, and tolerance in political discourse, while encouraging people not to be intimidated by trolls or online attacks. 

He added that truth and justice may sometimes be delayed, but they are never permanently lost, emphasizing the importance of remaining clear and consistent in one’s political agenda. 

(Content based on the experience shared by Nepali Congress youth leader Sachin Timalsina at the program organized by TechPana in collaboration with UNESCO on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.)

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