Kathmandu, July 8: Singer Eleena Chauhan has said, “Now I have to search whether the hateful comments are still there or not—it’s that bad,” reflecting on the barrage of abusive and indecent comments she’s been receiving on social media.
According to Chauhan, several individuals have apologized after she began publicly sharing screenshots of such abusive comments. The apologies started coming in after she filed a formal complaint at the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police on Asar 16, 2082 BS citing excessive harassment and verbal abuse in the comment sections of her songs.
She shared her pain, saying, “After my divorce, people started posting vulgar comments—things like, ‘She did this after the divorce,’ or ‘Her name should just be Divorce,’ or ‘She’s back with her ex,’ and other degrading remarks. My parents feared for my safety. That’s when I decided to seek justice and filed a complaint. So far, I’ve lodged complaints against 15 individuals.”
Emphasizing that people should not feel entitled to write anything on social media, Chauhan added, “There has to be a limit. One must know what kind of words are appropriate or inappropriate to use. It’s not okay to launch personal attacks like that. People need to understand this.”
She clarified that constructive criticism is always welcome. “If someone says they don’t like my voice, that’s fine. I don’t expect everyone to praise me. But comments that I can’t even read out loud—imagine my father reading them. Those are just awful. Now people are scared and apologizing. Even when criticizing, keep it readable and respectful.”
Chauhan explained how such indecent comments have created immense stress for her and her family. “Chasing views and dollars has led people to write anything without thinking of the damage it causes. These things ruin lives, but no one thinks about the impact on the person and their family. That’s why I had to take this step,” she said.
She also pointed out how social media has become a platform for verbal abuse, saying, “Republican freedom doesn’t mean character assassination or enduring online abuse.”
After the situation escalated, Chauhan sought justice from the Prime Minister. She expressed gratitude that the Prime Minister acknowledged this as a criminal issue, which gave her more courage to continue her campaign.
On Asar 14, 2082 BS Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli posted a photo of Chauhan and fellow singer Samikshya Adhikari on Facebook with the caption: “Calling out others, criticizing anything, and hurling abuse to appear better is a toxic trend. Society must be guided by reason, not rage. The approach these two singers have taken—exposing online abusers—is commendable. Those who try to do good are often the ones who get trolled. But they must not give up.”
At a discussion organized by Press Chautari Nepal titled “Social Media in Information Flow: Opportunities and Challenges”, Chauhan urged artists to call out and take legal action against indecent and abusive language.
As social media becomes increasingly integral to modern society, it offers great opportunities—but also threatens privacy, mental health, and even lives when misused.
Read – Cyber harassment in Nepal: New generation’s rebellion under the shield of cyber law
Media expert Bhuwan KC said, “In the forest of information, it’s hard to distinguish what’s true and what’s false. Every individual sharing information must be accountable. We need systems that discourage misuse and promote responsible use of social media.”
Comparing information to fire, he added, “Used well, it’s helpful. Misused, it can burn everything down.”
Federation of Nepali Journalists President Nirmala Sharma emphasized that not everything on social media is news, and users must distinguish between public and private matters. “You can’t use information to spread misinformation,” she said.
She also stressed that those who knowingly use abusive language should face legal consequences, and that everyone in journalism must follow professional ethics.
“Anyone carrying a camera or creating content must also act responsibly,” she added.
Press Chautari Nepal President Ganesh Pandey stated that the discussion was organized to promote responsible journalism and ensure accurate information flow. #nepal #online #harassment
