Nepal has been gripped by a wave of violent protests after the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, triggering widespread outrage. What began as anger over censorship has rapidly escalated into a broader movement against corruption, poor governance, and lack of economic opportunity, leaving at least 22 people dead in just two days of unrest.
The ban, announced last week after the platforms failed to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, struck at the heart of daily life in Nepal, a country with one of South Asia’s highest social media usage rates per capita. Critics accused the government of using the measure to silence anti-corruption campaigns, intensifying public frustration. Although the decision was repealed on Monday night, the reversal came too late to contain mounting anger.
On September 8, the first day of demonstrations, protests in Kathmandu and other cities turned violent. Nineteen people were killed in clashes with police, who deployed water cannons, batons, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Among those caught in the violence were school students still in uniform. Some protesters managed to breach the perimeter of parliament, forcing authorities to impose curfews around key government buildings and tighten security across the capital.
The following day, September 9, the Nepal protests crisis deepened. An emergency cabinet meeting rescinded the ban, but the damage was irreversible. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on moral grounds, declaring that he could not remain in office “when young people are dying on the streets because of a wrong decision.” Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli also stepped down shortly after, creating a political vacuum that the Nepal Army moved quickly to fill, announcing that it would assume responsibility for restoring order.
Meanwhile, protesters escalated their actions, setting fire to parliament in Kathmandu and attacking government buildings and the homes of political leaders. In some of the most shocking incidents, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba’s wife was dragged from her residence and beaten by a mob, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Bishnu Prasad Paudel was chased through the streets, while the home of former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal was torched, resulting in the death of his wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar.
By the end of the second day, the death toll had risen to 22. Protesters, many of them young Nepalis, justified their actions with the claim that “these people have stolen our future and burning the buildings that never worked for us means we can build something new.” Yet not all leaders of the movement condoned the violence. KP Khanal, a prominent Gen Z activist who helped organise the demonstrations, said vested groups had infiltrated the protests, fueling destruction and bloodshed that went against the movement’s original intent.
The collapse of Oli’s government has left Nepal facing an uncertain political future. Balen Shah, the popular mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, has emerged as a potential leader in the next phase of the country’s political course. In a statement addressed to Gen Z protesters, Shah urged them to prepare for talks with the army chief but cautioned that parliament must be dissolved before any negotiations take place, prompting speculation about his role in the unrest.
The crisis has also drawn regional concern, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing anguish over the loss of young lives and calling for peace and stability in Nepal. India has since heightened border vigilance and advised its citizens in Nepal to remain indoors.
Meanwhile, the Nepalese community in Australia is also coming out in support and paying respect to those killed by holding gatherings at Strathfield Square and Auburn Park.
The Nepal protests began as a dispute over access to social media has exposed deep-rooted grievances within Nepali society – anger at corruption, disillusionment with political leadership, and frustration over economic stagnation. As the army assumes control, the coming days will determine whether the movement ushers in meaningful reform or plunges Nepal further into instability.
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