The latest episode of the television show 'Comedy Darbar' has been embroiled in controversy. The episode, which featured Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) MPs Rajunath Pandey, Jagdish Kharel and Rukesh Ranjit as guests, has sparked controversy on social media after some of the dialogues were censored with 'beeps'.

The series, which was released on the YouTube channel 'OSR Reality' last Friday, features artist duo Saroj Bhandari and Sujan Zimba entering the stage at 31 minutes and 22 seconds. Bhandari played the role of 'Speaker' and Zimba played the role of 'Maryada Palak'. In their segment, which lasted a total of 4 minutes and 53 seconds, 'beep sound' was used to cover the dialogue 11 times.

According to senior comedian and judge of the same show, Manoj Gajurel, the word 'Speaker' used in the performance was mainly censored by continuously 'beeping'. In a conversation with Kantipur, Gajurel expressed surprise and said, ‘We did not say any vulgar, obscene or illegal words that should have been banned there. The content presented on the television screen has its own dignity and we are aware of it. However, surprisingly, wherever the Speaker is mentioned, there is a ban on the voice.’ After the

controversy came out, Gajurel shared a picture of the program on the social network Facebook and drew the attention of the concerned bodies in a sarcastic style. He wrote, ‘Have you seen the comedy court filled with tit (tut)? Why was it filled with tit? For the full tit, tweet in the comment box.’ Vicky Agarwal, the director and host of the

program, has also expressed his sadness over such direct interference in the creation. He wrote on Facebook, expressing his pain, ‘It is very painful when someone so easily cuts into the content that we have prepared through continuous practice every week, intensive writing and hard work of the artists. Is it okay to make television programs in Nepal, like movies, only make people cry?’ Som Dhital, CEO of Prime Television, said that a complaint was filed with the Press Council Nepal after the trailer of the

program was released and a warning was issued based on that. ‘After the trailer was released on social media, the Press Council had warned us verbally after seeing our TV logo. Fearing that an official letter would come or there would be more trouble, I called director Vickyji and Shraddha Prasai. Later, as per their advice, the words were cut off to avoid controversy,’ Dhital said.

Meanwhile, Press Council Chief Officer Jhabindra Bhusal said that Prime TV was only alerted after a complaint was received from an officer of the Federal Parliament Secretariat. According to Bhusal, the council had alerted Prime TV's logo in the trailer and as a precaution to avoid any legal complications or further problems related to defamation of Parliament tomorrow. Advocate Khagendra Chapagain had filed a complaint with the council last Friday, expressing serious objections to the acting and words used in the caricatures in this program.

Although the council had alerted the television, Bhusal claimed that it had not 'pre-censored' any of the content. ‘We have not given any instructions to cut or remove any content, we have only informed about the complaint,’ Bhusal told Kantipur, ‘The actions taken by the television or production side to mute some parts or correct the logo were done out of awareness or to avoid possible embarrassment, and there is no direct involvement or pressure from the Press Council.’

However, despite the council saying that it did not give any instructions to use ‘beep’ in the content, Prime Television sources claim that the program director Vicky was summoned to the office and questioned. However, Chief Officer Bhusal insists that the council did not call anyone and question them except to alert the television.

After this incident, artists, human rights activists and the general public are expressing dissatisfaction saying that ‘scissors’ have been used on art and creativity from the state level. They comment that the attitude of the state machinery, which cannot tolerate even ordinary satire, has made a mockery of democracy. Artist Gajurel is not ready to consider this a beautiful aspect of democracy. ‘We have come this far after fighting a long battle for freedom of speech and expression. Trying to control art and creations in such a situation is not a good sign,’ Gajurel adds. ‘Rather than creating fear within us, this has shown the need for us creators to unite more for our freedom and to keep upgrading ourselves with the times.’