What Made Nepal’s Gen Z Angry? Social Media Ban, ‘Nepo Kids’ To PM’s Exit, 48 Hours In A Nutshell

Last Updated:September 09, 2025, 17:22 IST

Nepal's young, restless: Not just social media, Gen-Z stir is over opportunities. Online campaign against Nepo Kids, politicians’ kids showing off lavish lifestyles, fuelled anger

A protester shouts slogans carrying national flag after burning down a police station in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Tuesday. (AP)

Nepal’s prime minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday resigned after more than a dozen people were killed and hundreds injured during youth-led protests sparked by a government ban on social media platforms, widespread corruption, and poor economic opportunities. Security forces deployed live ammunition, water cannons, and tear gas during protests in several cities, in which authorities said at least 19 people were killed, according to news agency Reuters.

Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced his resignation on Tuesday in a letter that cited “the extraordinary situation" in the country, according to copy of the note posted on social media by a top aide.

Nepal, a Himalayan country of 30 million people, is known for its turbulent politics and has seen more than a dozen governments since it transitioned to a republic after abolishing its 239-year-old monarchy in 2008 following a decade-long civil war, said CNN.

Social media ban, Nepo Kids, Disparity: What sparked the protests?

The latest protests, which are led by people aged 13 to 28, known as Generation Z, are Nepal’s worst unrest in decades.

Anger against the government for what many view as rampant, decades-long corruption in Nepal was already simmering, and it spilled into the streets of the capital last week after the government blocked social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and X, in a move that was widely criticised by rights groups. By midnight last Thursday, 26 platforms had gone dark, according to local media.

Explained: Who Is KP Sharma Oli? All 4 Stints Of Nepal PM Who Resigned After Gen-Z Protests Ended Amid Rows

Organisers say the protests, which spread across the country, are not only about the social media ban but are also a reflection of generational frustration at poor economic opportunities. The unemployment rate for youth aged 15-24 in Nepal was 20.8% in 2024, according to the World Bank.

Meanwhile, a viral online movement against ‘Nepo Kids’ — politicians’ children showing off their lavish lifestyles — is fuelling further anger by highlighting the disparities between those in power and regular Nepalis.

Who are the players involved in Nepal protests?

The protests are largely youth-led, spearheaded by digitally native Nepalis using hashtags like “Nepobaby" and slogans such as “The Final Revolution – We Are Punching Up" to call out political elitism and corruption.

Prominent youth voices are:

Miraj Dhungana: Fiscal Nepal quoted him as saying: “Social media was our space to study, earn, and speak up. Now the government wants to crush our voice."

Yujan Rajbhandari: “This is about corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal," he said, according to The Week.

Ikshama Tumrok: “We want to see change.… It has to end with our generation," he said, according to The Week.

Who are the organisers of Nepal protests?

Hami Nepal, an NGO previously involved in humanitarian aid, emerged as a key organiser, coordinating rallies (e.g., at Kathmandu’s Maitighar) and protest logistics, according to Kathmandu Post.

Local grassroots networks such as the “MRR" group and informal Facebook groups mobilized participants across cities with the rallying cry: “Wake Up Youth, Wake Up Gen Z" Digital platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and others became vital to spreading protest plans, sharing safety advice, and highlighting state actions, even amid the ban, said Fiscal Nepal.

Are Nepal’s celebrities and cultural icons supporting the youth?

Kathmandu Post reported how actors Madan Krishna Shrestha, Hari Bansha Acharya, Prakash Saput, Nischal Basnet, Keki Adhikari, and others shared solidarity messages and poetic posts urging youth participation. Mayor Balen Shah of Kathmandu publicly backed the movement, urging leaders to heed youth voices. Business figures such as Asimman Singh (Founder & CEO of Pathao) lent support.

The violent turn: What happened on Monday?

The protests turned violent on Monday as protesters clashed with police at the parliament complex in Kathmandu. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at thousands of young protesters, many of whom wore school or college uniforms, according to Reuters. Protesters set fire to an ambulance and hurled objects at riot police guarding the legislature, Reuters reported, citing a local official.

At least 17 people were killed in Kathmandu and two more in the eastern city of Itahari, according to hospital officials.

The fire rages on: What happened on Tuesday?

Protesters took to the streets again in the capital Tuesday in defiance of a curfew imposed on the city center, and after the government lifted the social media ban. Photos by Reuters showed protesters burning a police booth and furniture outside the office of the Nepali Congress, Nepal’s largest political party. The international airport was closed due to the violence in the city affecting operations, Reuters reported, citing the aviation authority.

South of Kathmandu, in the municipality of Chandrapur, police fired into the air as protesters defied curfew to gather, a local official told CNN. Protesters also set a police car on fire, the source said.

More than 400 people, including security forces staff, were hospitalized after suffering injuries on Monday, according to a report by Nepal’s health ministry.

organizations swiftly condemned the lethal crackdown by police and called for an independent investigation.

The UN human rights office said it was “shocked" by the deaths of the protesters and urged a “transparent" investigation. It said it has received “several deeply worrying allegations of unnecessary" use of force by security forces during the protests, reported CNN.

“The use of lethal force against protesters not posing an imminent threat of death or serious injury is a grave violation of international law," Amnesty said in a statement.

Why did Nepal PM OP Sharma Oli resign?

The resignation of Oli on Tuesday came after a string of other officials quit over the government’s response to the protests. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned Monday following the violence, according to Communications Minister Prithvi Subba. The ministers for agriculture, water and health also resigned, they wrote on social media. The government also lifted the ban on social media platforms.

In a statement before his resignation, Oli said his government was “not negative toward the demands raised by the Gen Z generation" and said he was “deeply saddened" by the incidents on Monday. He blamed “infiltration by various vested interest groups" for the violence, without elaborating on who the groups were.

Gagan Thapa, General Secretary of the Nepali Congress and member of parliament, on Tuesday conveyed his distress over “the cruel sight of innocent youth being killed unnecessarily is rolling before our eyes" and called on Oli to “take responsibility for this oppression and resign immediately."

Nepal’s biggest-selling newspaper had also on Tuesday called for Oli to step down, its editorial board arguing he “cannot sit in the PM’s chair for a minute longer" after Monday’s bloodshed.

With CNN, Reuters Inputs

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