Kathmandu, Nepal – Nepal’s Home Minister, Ramesh Lekhak, has resigned from his post, taking moral responsibility for the deaths of at least 19 people during a violent crackdown on protests. The resignation came after a day of unprecedented unrest where thousands of “Gen Z” youth took to the streets of Kathmandu to protest a government ban on social media platforms and widespread corruption.
The demonstrations, which began peacefully, turned deadly when protesters attempted to storm the Parliament building. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition, resulting in the highest number of protest-related deaths in the country in two decades.
In a cabinet meeting on Monday evening, Lekhak reportedly submitted his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The move follows immense public outrage over the police’s use of excessive force and a growing political crisis stemming from the government’s controversial decision to ban 26 social media platforms.
Following the Home Minister’s resignation and in a bid to de-escalate the situation, the government has also announced it is revoking the social media ban and has deployed the army to assist in maintaining order. The government is also facing increasing pressure from opposition parties and citizens who hold the Prime Minister responsible for the heavy-handed response.
