Nepal is in the midst of a severe unrest, an urban insurrection, unlike anything it has seen in decades. The reason, as per the agitating 'Gen Z' is the prolonged and unbearable nepotism and corruption in the country. The turmoil was triggered by the government-imposed ban on 26 social media platforms, which included Meta, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The government cited failure of the social media platforms to register with the ministry concerned as per the country’s laws as the reason for the ban. The agitators believed that the ban was to stifle their voice against the rampant corruption in the country.
As it so often happens, the initial wave of unrest became violent, and the government issued shoot-at-sight orders. More violence followed, and the police action reportedly resulted in the death of 19 agitators on September 8.
In the continuing violence, the Nepal Parliament was set on fire, some ministers were manhandled, chased and kicked in public, and the wife of former prime minister, Jhala Nath Khanal, was burnt to death in her house. Three more people were killed on Tuesday. As per the latest reports, the death toll has hit 30, with over a thousand people injured.
Walls of the Jaleshwar jail were breached, and hundreds of prisoners were set free. Hotel Hilton, a luxury hotel said to be owned by former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's son, was set on fire. Even the country’s Supreme Court was not spared. Arson and destruction are being projected as destruction of “symbols of privilege and impunity”.
The terms “Nepo Baby” and Nepo Kids” have become very popular with the youth of Nepal and have become the unifying theme of the agitators. Through videos on social media, these two terms have come to symbolise the lavish lifestyles of the political elite and their children, their success without merit and the luxury they enjoy while the youth of Nepal suffer inequality and unemployment and are forced to migrate seeking opportunities beyond the nation's borders.
Amidst the violent protest, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned. He was whisked away in a helicopter by the Army. It is rumoured that Oli may slip out to Dubai.
The Nepal Army is taking Charge of the country. The Army Chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, in his address to the nation on September 9, asked citizens to stay calm. The Army has reiterated its commitment to ensure the safety and security of Nepal and its people and to protect lives and property.
Political turmoil is not new to Nepal. The country witnessed a prolonged civil conflict marked by Maoist armed revolt, which started in 1996. After more than a decade of turmoil, the Monarchy was abolished in 2008. During this period, the country also witnessed the bloody massacre of the King, the Queen and eight other members of the immediate family in June 2001 by the crown prince, Dependra. The crown prince, after committing the gruesome massacre, shot himself and died two days later. Gyanendra, uncle of the crown prince, was appointed the King after this incident. Gyanendra remained as the king of Nepal till the monarchy was abolished in 2008.
This time around, the youth of Nepal had genuine grievances. Trouble was brewing for a while. But the sudden violent protests and turn of events took everyone by surprise. There has been a lot of media speculation as to whether the sudden unrest and the sequence of events that followed was an impromptu development or a scripted operation by agencies beyond Nepal’s borders on the lines of what was witnessed in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
What will happen next seems uncertain. The agitators made two demands—lifting the ban on social media and wiping out corruption. While the ban on social media has been lifted, the agitators have not made any specific demands or measures with respect to wiping out corruption. Whether another change of constitution is required is not clear.
The only political figure who enjoys the support of Nepal’s Gen Z is Balendra Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu, who has been openly supporting the anti-corruption protests. He is considered a favourite among the youth and may figure in any future government arrangement. It is interesting to note that earlier this year, in March 2025, Nepal witnessed a movement demanding “Bring Back the King”. Former King Gyanendra’s expression of sorrow over the loss of lives in the agitation and his appeal for addressing the legitimate demands of the “younger generation” sounded politically very correct and gave rise to the speculation that the King may be seeking a role in the country’s governance in future.
The next course of action for Nepal will be charted by the country’s army in consultation with the agitators. Announcement of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the interim head to represent the Gen Z is a positive move. Considering her non-affiliation with any political leanings, the Nepal Army, as well as the Gen Z, deserves appreciation for setting aside differences that may have been there and taking this positive first step. This also sets at rest, at least for the time being, fears about the entire process being hijacked by the US deep state, China or even India.
Was there really a foreign hand in the turmoil? Who were the actual backstage managers of the protests? We may have to wait for a trail to be spotted before we find answers to these questions.
Who gains from the turmoil in Nepal? What are the possible concerns of different players?
As far as India is concerned, China’s growing influence in Nepal is always a concern. India would like to see Nepal as a stable buffer state maintaining its deep and extensive historical, cultural, economic and military connections with India. The brave Nepalese soldiers have always been the pride of the Indian armed forces and our country.
The use of Nepal as a base and transit route by the ISI and the ISI nurtured and supported Islamist terrorists to launch covert anti-India operations is a major concern for India. This problem is far worse than it may seem on the surface due to the open and free nature of the India-Nepal border and the rampant vote bank politics of India. A report by the Indian Military Review of February 2022, quoting intelligence agencies, raised serious concerns regarding the rise in the number of mosques and madrasas along the Indo-Nepal border adjoining Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal during just the short three-year period of 2019-2022. The report focused on 10 km from the Nepal border on the Indian side and also across the border on the Nepal side. It flagged the noticeable demographic change taking place in the border areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The report also pointed to the trend of an increasing number of mosques—going up on the Indian side from 760 in 2018 to 1,000 in 2021 and on the Nepal side from 508 in 2018 to 645 in 2021. This concern is shared by the Nepal Government as well. So, the internal dynamics of Nepal will always remain a concern for India.
As far as China is concerned, Nepal figures prominently in Tibet’s security calculus. Nepal’s geography provides China with multiple cost-effective options against India, including creating anti india sentiments and narratives as well as facilitating Pakistan to execute anti-India activities. China would also view Nepal as a suitable candidate to be reigned in through technological, infrastructural and financial assistance and loan and technology assistance trap. Corrupt politicians in Nepal, in any scenario, will be seen as potential assets by China.
The United States needs to view Nepal as a country vulnerable to Chinese manipulations and in need of significant long-term economic, technological, diplomatic, developmental and soft military capability support. The US also need to employ its soft power to create a favourable free-world leaning in the Nepalese people in mind.
As far as Nepal is concerned, it has a tough task of maintaining a fine balance between its two giant neighbours, while managing its domestic politics and its not-so-healthy economy. It needs significant developmental assistance and support from both its neighbours.
India has no reason to feel disturbed over KP Sharma Oli’s ouster. But speedy restoration of normalcy in Nepal is in India’s interest and
India must facilitate that process. India must also assist Nepal in letting its citizens decide what is best for their country and be very generous in accommodating Nepal’s economic needs.
It may sound a bit utopian at the moment, but one cannot rule out a scenario in the long run where Nepal becomes the friendship bridge between India and China.
(Lt. Gen. CA Krishnan retired as deputy chief of army staff)
(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK)