Nepal is witnessing a wave of protest led largely by Gen Z and young activists, who have taken to the streets, demanding political accountability, employment opportunities, and an end to corruption. What started as a demonstration eventually turned into a nationwide movement leading to 30 deaths, over 1,033 injuries, the toppling of the government, and the forcing of the prime minister and his cabinet to resign. The movement stretched to the extent that several ministers were chased and publicly assaulted.
NGOs such as Hami Nepal are reported to be playing a role in mobilizing the youth, but many observers opine that agitation, despite having witnessed a violent turn, has largely been spontaneous. “It was spontaneous. If stability is not restored sooner, outside powers may have a chance to get the place in the name of resolving this crisis, as in many cases in many countries,” says Zulfiqar Falahi, a resident of Nepal.
“While the protesters appear divided—some advocating for reforms within the existing system, others calling for a complete overhaul—they remain engaged in dialogue. So far, there is no visible evidence of external influence shaping the movement,” he adds.
However, conspiracy theories surfacing alleged the involvement of the “deep state” or even the involvement of a foreign power. Some also alleged that unrest may have snowballed from exploiting the geopolitical ends.
What led the protest?
The sequence of the protest started when the government announced a ban on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and 26 other social media platforms. Officials justified the move as a step toward better regulation, citing cybercrime, fake news, and harmful online content. Protesters, however, saw it as a direct assault on free speech. “The government may have faced challenges from social media misuse; the ban was made to tackle this, but its strategy for control was unsuitable.”
However, Saif Khan, a protestor, believes that “we should have the freedom to speak, and corruption must end… When our voices were suppressed, we felt it was necessary to raise the voice. However, he believes that storming offices, dragging politicians into streets, setting ablaze the parliament building, and attacking homes is wrong. “The damage that has happened is not right—the former prime minister’s wife was burned alive in her own home, and setting fire to the parliamentary building is also a loss for all of us. This is wrong,” Khan says.
King Gyanendra Reappeared Again
Amid the chaos, the protests have taken on an unexpected dimension. Many young demonstrators, disillusioned with three decades of unstable governance and endemic corruption, have begun looking back at the Shah dynasty not as relics of history but as potential saviors. Portraits of former King Gyanendra have reappeared on banners in Kathmandu’s streets, reflecting a growing belief among some protesters that democracy itself has failed to deliver. While the mainstream of the movement remains focused on reform and accountability, the revival of royalist sentiment underscores the depth of frustration and the sense that Nepal’s political experiment has betrayed its people.
