KATHMANDU, JANUARY 24 Gen Z activists, including advocates Anil Kumar Sah and Yuvraj Mukhiya, have filed a complaint with the Election Commission, demanding that Mahesh Basnet's candidature be cancelled. They accused Basnet of violating the election code of conduct by making inflammatory remarks about the Madhesi community. According to a complaint filed with the EC, Basnet used linguistic racism to spread hate speech against the Madhesi culture. Mahesh Basnet, CPN-UML Secretary and House of Representatives candidate from Bhaktapur Constituency-2, insulted the Madhesi community sentiment a few days ago by intentionally misinterpreting and spreading hate speech against them. Basnet's remarks came after a public meeting in Janakpur hosted by the former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and House of Representatives candidate from Jhapa Constituency No. 5 Balendra Shah, during which he used the term 'Madhesi Chhaura', which translates to 'Madhesi boy'. 'However, Basnet insulted the entire Madhes and the sentiments of Madhes and the Madhesi people by making intentional and racist comments on the Madhes identity, culture, values, and language, targeting the word 'Chhaura', which is used to address a son, youth, or child with great affection in Maithili, Bhojpuri, Bajjika, and other Madhesi languages,' reads the complaint filed with the EC. 'With extremely envious and prejudiced intentions, he publicly compared the word 'Chhaura' to the Nepali language 'Chhauro' (puppies), demonstrating indecent and inhuman political culture, which is a shameful act in a democratic system. Mahesh Basnet apologised on social media following the Madhes community's protests. However, they contend in their complaint that it is evident that the public remarks made against the Madhes community have frequently made disparaging remarks about the Tarai-Madhes community's language, culture, and customs. The Madhes community's social identity and cultural respect have been severely harmed by such remarks, which were made without knowledge of the local culture. Mahesh Basnet's disrespect for the Madhesi community's custom of 13 days of Kaj-Kiriya (final rituals performed after death), which does not require refraining from visiting temples or many other locations, is allegedly both ignorant of our culture and an insult to it. A statement like that runs the risk of upsetting social harmony and inciting animosity and division within the community. Basnet had made another social media post along with Balen's visit to the Pathibhara temple, targeting that Balen had hurt cultural sentiment. 'This is a vicious assault on the dignity and self-respect of all Madhesi citizens by comparing them to the language and culture of an entire community, not just a misreading of a word or a custom.' The complaint states that while policy criticism is acceptable in politics, 'no one has the right to dehumanise a community by using someone's ancestral language and culture as a weapon.' Going to the temple or engaging in cultural activities after the final rites, which conclude after 13 days, is not forbidden in Madhes culture. Balen recently carried out his father's last rites. According to advocate Sah, the constitution of Nepal prohibits discrimination based on community, language, culture, or region. Candidate Basnet's statement portrayed the Madhesi community as 'animal-class' citizens, and his recent statement on social media is a cruel attack on culture that violates the constitutional spirit. 'Moreover, it violates the Election Code of Conduct, 2026: Clause (l) of Section 4 of the Code of Conduct expressly prohibits giving hate speech that denigrates, insults, or spreads hatred against any caste, language, religion, or community. His statement clearly had a negative impact on the election and disrupted social harmony,' according to the complaint. 'It is a punishable offence to hurt someone's ethnic or linguistic feelings under Section 156 of the Criminal Code 2017 and to engage in discriminatory behaviour under Section 160. Candidate Basnet has deeply hurt the Madhesi community's linguistic feelings.' He also stated that Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act 2008 prohibits propaganda that disrupts harmonious relations between different castes, languages, religions, or sects. 'His comment is an immature and punishable attack on the historical values and beliefs held by the Madhesi community,' he added. Stating that Basnet's action is contrary to the spirit of the constitution and inclusion in Nepal. Making it clear that a person who compares the identity of the Madhesi community to animals is not worthy of being a public representative, they have demanded, 'Basnet's candidacy should be immediately rejected on the grounds of serious violations of the Election Act and Code of Conduct and spreading cultural, ethnic and linguistic hatred, and it is recommended that he be fined the maximum amount for violating the election code of conduct and prosecuted under the prevailing criminal law, and a directive should be issued to him to publicly apologise to all Madhesi communities.'