Nepal Gen Z protest: Violent protests by youths against a government ban on social media sites rocked Nepal, with police’s use of force leaving at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured.
Nepal is witnessing one of the deadliest youth protests in years after the government banned 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X, leaving at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured. The unrest also prompted the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who stepped down amid growing criticism of the governmentโs handling of the situation.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli blamed the unrest on “unwanted elements” infiltrating the protests but maintained that the governmentโs intent was regulation rather than outright censorship. Under mounting pressure, the Cabinet reversed the ban later that day, with Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung announcing that social media access would be restored.
Gen Z violent protest face:ย Who is Sudan Gurung?ย
At the forefront of the protests is 36-year-old Sudan Gurung, president of Hami Nepal, a youth-led NGO.
In an earlier Instagram post, Gurung said his group had formally sought permission to hold rallies and appealed to students to wear school uniforms and carry books, transforming the demonstrations into a symbol of peaceful resistance.
Before the blackout, Hami Nepal had actively used social media to share protest routes and safety guidelines.
Gurung, once an event organiser, turned to civic activism after losing his child in the 2015 earthquake, an experience that profoundly reshaped his life and pushed him into disaster relief and youth mobilisation.ย
Over time, he has spearheaded several campaigns demanding transparency and accountability, including Dharan’s well-known “Ghopa camp” protest at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences. Today, he is seen as a key figure who channels Gen Z’s digital-age frustrations into organised, nonviolent action.
Fresh protests erupt across Nepal, demand PM Oli’s resignation
Fresh protests led by students, erupted in several parts of Nepal on Tuesday. Demonstrations were reported from Kalanki and Baneshwor in Kathmandu, as well as the Chapagaun-Thecho area of Lalitpur district. The Gen Z agitators are demanding the resignation of Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.ย
The agitating youths also pelted stones at the residence of Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung in Sunakothi at Lalitpur district, eye witnesses said.
Protesters, mostly students, chanted slogans such as “Don’t kill students,” defying the restrictions on public gatherings.
The protesters shouted slogans such as “KP Chor, Desh Chhod” (K P Sharma Oli is a thief, quit the country), “Take action against corrupt leaders”.
The protesters vandalised the residence of former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Khumaltar in Lalitpur. They also demonstrated in front of former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba’s house at Budhanilkantha in Kathmandu.
Nepal lifts ban on social media
The Nepal government announced that it has withdrawn its earlier decision to ban social media sites in the country after violent protests by Gen Z. Making the announcement, Nepal Minister for Communication, Information and Broadcasting Prithvi Subba Gurung said that the government has withdrawn its earlier decision to ban social media sites following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet.
Moreover, Gurung said the Ministry of Information has ordered the concerned agencies to start the process of resuming the social media sites as per the demands of the โGen Zโ, which spearheaded a massive protest in front of the Parliament in the heart of Kathmandu.
It should be noted that on September 4, the Nepal government had banned 26 social media sites, including Facebook and โXโ, over their failure to register with the Nepal government.