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It started online—memes, threads, and leaked documents. But in just days, it turned into one of the bloodiest uprisings in Nepal’s recent history. A new generation, tired of watching their country sink under the weight of corruption, took matters into their own hands.
This is the story of how a social media ban lit the fuse of the Gen-Z Protest, and how Nepal was pushed to the edge of collapse.
The Build-Up: A Nation Drowning in Scandal
For years, corruption had been rotting Nepal’s politics from the inside. But it wasn’t until the younger generation started digging—fact-checking budgets, exposing shady deals, and flooding social media with receipts—that the truth came crashing into the open.
The scandals are a crime story:
Fake Bhutanese Refugee Scam (2023): Nepalese citizens have been tricked into a bogus resettlement in America. source
Lalita Niwas Land Grab: Politicians illegitimately seized coveted government property. source
Nepo-Kids Lifestyle: Pictures of politicians' kids showing luxury vacations and designer life hit social networks and outraged ordinary Nepalis fighting inflation. source
As each new story broke, the question became louder: Where is all this money really coming from?
The Last Straw: A Ban That Backfired
Instead of answering, the government silenced. With almost no warning, it gave social media platforms just a week to register—or face a ban. source
Twenty-six platforms were shut down. Overnight, millions lost their digital voice. source
The move was framed as “regulation.” To the youth, it was censorship. And just like that, the online anger burst into the streets.
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Day 1: Blood on the Streets
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On a Monday morning, youth protests broke out in the first wave. They were peaceful—chants, placards, and calls to account. source
Then the shooting began. source
It is believed that then–Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak instructed his men to fire. Streets filled with tear gas—even streets outside hospitals. Shooting is documented even within hospitals. By evening 19 young protesters were dead. source
Lekhak quit. But irreversible damage had been done. source
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Day 2: Fire and Anarchy
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The next day, Nepal burned.
Schools such as Ullens, NAMI College, and even Tribhuvan University were torched. source
Singha Durbar, which is Nepal's capital administrative headquarters, erupted in flames. source
The Parliament House and Mantri Niwas were destroyed. source
Over 14,000 inmates were set free, flooding city streets with chaos. source
Nobody quite knows to this day who lit the match—the party loyalists or opportunists—but chaos it most certainly did bring. People began to die. The nation descended into chaos. source
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A Country Without Leaders
In the midst of smoke and ash, Nepal stood on the verge of collapse. The army intervened—not through martial law but to avert complete breakdown. Prime Minister K.P. Oli was compelled to step down. source
Then something extraordinary took place.
In Discord, thousands of young Nepalis came together to discuss their futures. No campaigns. No parties. No politicians. No elections. Just citizens. They jointly nominated Sushila Karki, an ex-Chief Justice known to be of high integrity, as interim Prime Minister. source
The Interim Cabinet of Hope
The new leadership looked nothing like the old guard. Instead of career politicians, respected figures from civil society and academia took charge: source
- PM Sushila Karki – ex-Chief Justice source
- Mahabir Pun – Education source
- Madan Prasad Pariyar – Agriculture source
- Kul Man Ghising – Energy, Infrastructure, Urban Development source
- Rameshwar Kanal – Finance source
- Anil Kumar Sinha – Law, Commerce, Land Management source
- Om Prakash Aryal – Home Affairs source
- Jagdish Kharel – Communications & IT source
It was the cabinet people had only dreamed of—leaders with credibility, not scandals.
The Aftermath: A Heavy Price
But hope came at a cost.
- Data Breaches: With government buildings burned, sensitive records vanished. source
- Education Crisis: Schools and universities lay in ruins. source
- Parliament Dissolved: The old system collapsed. source
- Economic Fallout: GDP dropped by an estimated 5%, jobs vanished, and tourism nosedived. source
- Targeted Leaders: Figures like Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal became symbols of public anger. source
The price of rebellion was high, but for many, it felt like the only way forward.
The Media Spin
The harshest irony was the way the protest would be remembered. The global headlines framed it as a fracas over a social media ban—calculating with no consideration for the mountain of corruption that saw Nepal's students risk everything. source
To the streets, it was never TikTok or Facebook; it was about having the future stolen by greed. source
Conclusion: Gen-Z’s Message to the World
The Gen-Z Protest was not just an outburst of anger—it was a generational cry for change. A message that corruption has consequences. That young people, armed with information and digital networks, can shake even the most entrenched powers.
Nepal’s future is still uncertain. But one thing is clear: its youth are no longer just watching from the sidelines.
They are rewriting history.
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