Nepal’s Gen Z Protests: Parliament Set Ablaze, PM Oli Resigns Amid Deadly Unrest Over Social Media Ban and Corruption
Nepal is reeling from two days of violent protests led by young demonstrators, known as “Gen Z,” who stormed and set fire to the federal parliament building in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The chaos, which has left at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured, stems from a government-imposed ban on major social media platforms and deep-seated anger over political corruption and economic woes. In a dramatic turn, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned hours after the arson, submitting his letter to President Ram Chandra Paudel amid cheers from crowds outside the burning parliament.
The protests erupted on Monday when tens of thousands of mostly youth gathered near the parliament complex in Kathmandu, waving national flags and chanting slogans like “Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media.” They accused the government of using the ban to silence a viral “nepo kid” campaign that exposed the lavish lifestyles and alleged graft of politicians’ families.
The ban, imposed last week on 26 platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), was justified by authorities as a measure against fake news, hate speech, and online fraud after companies failed to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
What began as a demonstration against the blackout quickly escalated into a broader revolt against nepotism, poor governance, and economic stagnation. Protesters, many in school uniforms, broke through barricades, hurled stones at riot police, and set an ambulance on fire. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition, killing 17 in Kathmandu and two more in the eastern city of Itahari. Over 400 people, including officers, were injured, with some hospitals overwhelmed as tear gas seeped into emergency wards.
Despite the government lifting the ban late Monday in an emergency meeting to “address the demands of Gen Z,” the fury did not subside.bfb247 On Tuesday, demonstrators defied an indefinite curfew, storming Singha Durbar—the administrative hub housing ministries and the prime minister’s office—and setting it ablaze. Fires also engulfed Oli’s private residence, the president’s home, and properties of other leaders like Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Videos showed protesters pelting stones at officials and celebrating amid thick smoke that forced the closure of Kathmandu’s international airport.
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United Nations condemned the use of force, calling for nonviolent measures and a transparent investigation into the deaths. “The government should recognize that these mass outpourings reflect deep frustrations with entrenched corruption and poor governance,” Human Rights Watch stated.
Nepal’s opposition parties and even some coalition members had demanded Oli’s resignation, viewing the protests as a tipping point for years of public discontent since the 2008 abolition of the monarchy.e4bdd9
The government announced a committee to probe the violence, compensation for victims’ families, and free treatment for the injured. India’s Ministry of External Affairs advised its citizens to avoid travel to Nepal and stay indoors. As the army patrolled streets in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar, and Bharatpur, the protests highlight a generation’s demand for accountability in a nation grappling with instability and inequality.
President Paudel is expected to consult parties to form an interim government. While the social media ban is lifted, experts warn that underlying issues like corruption must be addressed to prevent further escalation.
