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Kathmandu: Nepal witnessed unprecedented unrest on Monday as thousands of Gen Z protesters stormed Parliament and set fire to one of its buildings, just minutes before Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli resigned amid mounting pressure.
Visuals from Kathmandu showed demonstrators breaching Parliament premises with plumes of grey and black smoke rising, chanting slogans such as “KP Chor, Desh Chhod” (“KP thief, leave the country”) and “Take Action Against Corrupt Leaders.” Initially triggered by a now-revoked ban on 26 social media platform including Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, and YouTube, the protests have evolved into a wider anti-corruption movement led by young Nepalis.
The unrest spread beyond Parliament, with protesters targeting the personal properties of political leaders. Oli’s residence in Bhaktapur’s Balkot area and the home of former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in Naikap, who resigned a day earlier, were set ablaze. Other senior leaders homes and the office of the country’s largest party, Nepali Congress, were also stormed, defying curfew orders.
At least 19 people have died and over 300 sustained injuries, making this the deadliest unrest in Nepal in two decades. Analysts say the demonstrations reflect a generational outcry against corruption, inequality, and lack of oppurtunity, with youth demanding accountability from the state.
Late Monday night, the government lifted the social media ban that initially sparked the protests. In addition, Kathmandu International Airport was closed with immediate effect, according to Nepal’s civil aviation authority. Oli, 73, had attempted conciliatory measures including restoring social media access and announcing all-party talks, but his resignation underscores the political volatility now gripping the Himalayan nation.