For Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Communist Party-led government, posters have become a source of debate about the performance of the government - or for its critics - lack thereof.
In the final week of November, Kathmandu residents woke up to find electricity and telephone poles in the city decorated with posters and pamphlets adorning the picture of the Prime Minister with slogans such as "dawn of a new age with prosperity".
It was the government's effort to mark the inauguration of the social security scheme that it claims will benefit more than 3 million people working in the private sector.
Social media lit up with comments on the posters - many applauding the government for launching the fund, but others ridiculing its attempt to glorify it and the prime minister.
Source: Twitter/#JusticeForNirmala
However, the government's attempt to promote initiative was soon hijacked by activists who launched a campaign of their own - demanding justice for the much-publicised case of 13-year old girl Nirmala Panta, who was raped and murdered in far western Nepal.
Source: Facebook
Posters of the prime minister's promotional pamphlets were replaced with Nirmala Panta's image, with messages such as "I want to see Nirmala get justice more than the social security fund".
Social media posts with “Government found but justice not found" messages started to gain attention.
Then came reports and footage on social media that the government had allegedly instructed officials to remove posters related to Nirmala Panta from public places around the country.
Nepal government's actions backfire
The government's reported actions to take down posters featuring Nirmala from public display may have backfired as people then began to hang signs and images on their backs to show their solidarity for the justice for Nirmala campaign.
"It has been more than four months since the incident took place, the entire nation is frustrated at the way things have unfolded, and many are reacting to it in their own way," said Tika Dahal, a woman rights activist.
"The government should focus on solving the case instead of removing the posters. "
Murder victim Nirmala Panta's parents sit with protesters in Kathmandu on Saturday 16 Sept 18. Source: Supplied
Nirmala Panta's parents demand justice
Protests demanding justice for Nirmala Panta are still continuing with police authorities accused of protecting those involved in the crime against the teenager.
Her parents, too, have been staging a sit-in protest their hometown demanding justice. Recently her father Yaga Raj was admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu after showing possible signs of mental trauma, according to his wife, Durga Devi.
“He started behaving weirdly, and sometimes he also got violent, which was unlike him, so we brought him for treatment,” Durga Devi is reported to have said.
According to Dr Saroj Ojha, head of the Department of Psychiatry, "Yaga Raja is suffering from stress and apart from counselling he needs support from people near him as well. This is one way of reacting to immense stress."
Members of the Nepali community in Australia have also voiced their support demanding justice for Nirmala.
The government's social security plan will come into effect from 22 May 2019 and cover old age pension, medical treatment, health protection, maternity coverage, accidents and disability compensations. It will require employers to contribute around 20 per cent of their employees' basic salary with employees also having to contribute 11 per cent to the social scheme.
Members of Nepali community in Sydney held a vigil demanding justice for Nirmala Panta on 9 dec 2018. Source: Tirtha Karki
