What is the real reason behind Nepal's deadly protests? On the whole story, let's put the spotlight on India's neighbour. Well, Gen Z has taken over the streets of Nepal. Prime Minister K.P. Sharmauli resigned this afternoon after two days of violent anti-corruption protests that killed 19 people and injured over 400.
It has been named the Gen Z revolution because of the young participants. Hashtag NepoKid is trending across the country. As we speak, the situation is quite tense there.
Protesters defied a curfew and stormed into the residence of the Prime Minister and vandalised it. The protesters also set on fire the office of the country's largest party, Nepali Congress and the houses of several prominent politicians, including the President. The protesters also breached the parliament.
All flights at the Tribhuvan International Airport have been cancelled. India has also issued an advisory urging its citizens to avoid travelling to Nepal. So why is the country on the boil? The main reason is corruption.
New power and new politicians who are well-educated to move the country forward. And the immediate trigger was the social media ban. Well, at the heart of this movement is a viral hashtag NepoKid campaign.
It's a trend that targeted the children of wealthy and influential politicians. It started before the deadly demonstrations. The campaign talked about the children of political and powerful figures, accusing them of flaunting their lavish lifestyles, foreign education, luxury cars and exotic holidays, allegedly funded by corruption.
Many social media users posted TikTok videos of politicians' children living a luxurious life and compared it with that of an ordinary citizen. The protesters had one demand, the resignation of Prime Minister KP Oli, who they blame for growing corruption, worsening economic conditions and the misuse of power. The other reason is the recent social media ban.
Nepal has one of South Asia's highest rates of social media users per capita. The ban on prominent social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat has affected many people who rely on these apps for their small businesses or to criticize the government or connect with their friends or loved ones. The ban was lifted late last night.
As for the government, the reason to ban these apps was that these companies did not comply with the new registration rules. Despite police crackdowns and PM's resignation, protesters are still on the streets. This is the first time, remember, the youngest citizens, the Gen Z, have staged a movement of their own and not to mention that there was extensive participation from school and college students, some even in their school uniforms.
KP Oli's resignation is a big victory for the Gen Z of Nepal and other protesters, but with 19 lives lost, is it really a victory for a politically precarious nation like Nepal?
Source: Youtube CNBC TV18