Kathmandu, Nepal – The political crisis in Nepal has escalated dramatically as “Gen Z” protesters, defying curfews, have set fire to the private residence of President Ram Chandra Poudel and other prominent political figures. The violent turn of events follows a brutal crackdown on a massive protest the previous day, which left at least 19 people dead.
The protests, initially sparked by a government ban on several social media platforms, have now transformed into a full-blown anti-corruption movement. The demonstrators, a large number of whom are young people, are expressing their anger at the perceived authoritarianism and widespread corruption within the government.
On Tuesday, protesters stormed and vandalized the President’s residence in Bohoratar, Kathmandu, and also targeted the homes of other senior leaders, including that of former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel. The homes of the Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who resigned on Monday, were also attacked and set ablaze.
Amidst the growing chaos and public outrage, a wave of resignations has begun. Following the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, two more ministers have stepped down. Agriculture Minister Ram Nath Adhikari and Water Supply Minister Pradeep Yadav have both resigned, citing the government’s “authoritarian” and “repressive” response to the protests.
While the government has lifted the social media ban in a bid to de-escalate the situation, the protests have continued to intensify, with demonstrators now calling for the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s entire administration. The Prime Minister has called for an all-party meeting to discuss the situation and has assured that an inquiry committee will be formed to investigate the deaths. However, the government’s attempts to restore calm have so far proven unsuccessful as the country remains on edge.
