Nepal’s Gen Z Protests: Social Media Ban, Unrest, and Political Fallout

Nepal Gen Z protests Latest News

• Unprecedented protests erupted across Nepal on September 8, 2025, after the government banned major social media platforms. 
• What began as peaceful demonstrations by thousands of youth soon turned violent, with at least 19 dead and over 400 injured. 
• Protesters stormed Parliament and targeted politicians’ homes, prompting curfews in Kathmandu and other cities. 
• As the Gen Z-led agitation intensified for a second day, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned, his secretariat confirming the decision amidst mounting pressure.

Protesters on Nepal’s Streets and the Reasons Behind Their Anger

• The protesters are primarily Generation Z youth — those born between 1996 and 2012. 
  • With the age group of 16-25 years, Gen Z youths accounted for 20.8 per cent of total population and 90 per cent of its 30 million people using the internet.
• Teens and young adults, frustrated with politics and governance, have taken to the streets in large numbers.

Corruption and Nepotism

• Gen Z has expressed deep anger at Nepal’s entrenched corruption and the impunity enjoyed by politicians since the republic’s formation in 2008. 
• The extravagant lifestyles of politicians’ children, mocked as “Nepo Babies” and “Nepo Kids,” became a flashpoint of resentment online.

Immediate Trigger: Social Media Ban

• The government’s decision to ban 26 major social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, X, and YouTube, cut off Gen Z’s primary platform for expression and solidarity. 
  • Authorities accused these platforms of failing to register with Nepali regulators and of being misused for hate speech, misinformation and fraud. 
  • TikTok was the only major platform to comply and remains accessible.
• This aggravated their frustration.

Protests and Violence

• The discontent culminated in mass protests on Monday. Police and security forces opened fire, killing 19 and injuring hundreds. 
• The unrest represented the most forceful youth uprising in years.
• While the protesters had no detailed charter, they demanded lifting of the social media ban, which was fulfilled. 
• More broadly, they sought an end to corruption, social inequality, and lack of job opportunities.

‹ ›

India’s Concerns Over Nepal’s Crisis

• India is closely watching Nepal’s turmoil with concern, mindful of its sensitive political alignments in the country. 
• Having once lost goodwill with the monarchy and Nepali Congress by backing Maoists, New Delhi now faces a delicate balancing act. 
• Recently, PM Modi chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting to assess the situation, stressing that the violence was “heart-rending” and reaffirming that Nepal’s stability, peace, and prosperity remain of utmost importance to India.

Analysis: Nepal’s Crisis Beyond Oli’s Resignation

• The recent violence in Kathmandu, where protesters torched Parliament, ministerial homes, and media offices, reflects deep structural failures in Nepal’s democratic experiment. 
• PM Oli’s resignation has not stemmed the unrest, which now questions the country’s political future.

Systemic Revolt: From Social Media Ban to Nationwide Rage

• Protests began against the government’s ban on social media but quickly transformed into a broader indictment of corruption, nepotism, and inequality. 
• Security forces’ killing of 19 youth on September 8 ignited nationwide outrage, galvanising Gen Z against decades of political dysfunction, unemployment, and institutional decay. 
• Unlike past democratic movements, these protests lack leadership or clear objectives, instead expressing nihilistic anger against all state institutions.

Dangerous Precedents in Nepal’s Democracy

• Despite two people’s movements, a new constitution, and republican institutions, Nepal’s governance remains dominated by elite power-sharing and patronage networks. 
• This disillusionment has created space for anti-system forces, including pro-monarchy and Hindutva groups. 
• The amorphous Gen Z protests, without clear democratic alternatives, risk being co-opted by such forces.

Regional Parallels and Outsider Appeal

• Nepal’s turmoil mirrors unrest in South Asia, from Bangladesh’s student-led uprisings to Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya. 
• The popularity of outsider figures like jailed Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah shows youth distrust of mainstream politics. 
• However, Shah’s call for Parliament’s dissolution raises fears of anti-institutional rhetoric undermining democratic renewal.

The Road Ahead: Reform or Ruin

• The Gen Z protests have exposed Nepal’s political bankruptcy and systemic failures. 
• Yet, their drift toward violence and institutional destruction threatens democracy itself. 
• For meaningful change, Nepal’s leaders must channel this energy into building credible alternatives, policy frameworks, and constructive institutions. 
  • Without this, the movement risks destabilising an already fragile state without delivering sustainable solutions.

Source: IE | TH | BBC