Why Genz has taken over the streets in Nepal

Nepal KP Prime Minister Sharma Oly resigned as a result of public outrage at the murder of 22 people in police clashes with protesters against corruption.

His service told him that he had withdrawn to pave the way for a constitutional decision of the mass protests, led by young people because of the widespread accusations of corruption and caused by a ban on social media, which had been withdrawn since then.

The protests have become violent as thousands – many have identified themselves as Gen Z in signs and banners – they took to the streets of Kathmandu on Monday.

It is estimated that nearly 200 people were injured in clashes with police who used tear gas, water cannons and live bullets while protesters scaled the walls of parliament and other official buildings.

The protests continued on Tuesday, with the protesters setting fire to the Parliament building, the headquarters of the Nepalese Congress Party and the home of former Prime Minister Cher Bahadur Deuba. The homes of several other politicians are also vandalized.

Here’s what we know about the protests.

Social media is a large part of Nepalese life. In fact, the country has one of the highest consumer prices for South Asia per capita.

The demonstrations were triggered by the government’s decision last week to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, for not complying with the deadline for registration with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of Nepal.

Critics accused the government of seeking to suffocate an anti -corruption campaign with the ban that was canceled on Monday night.

While the ban was a catalyst for current excitement, protesters also direct deeper rooted dissatisfaction with the country’s authorities.

Subsequent demonstrations have become violent in Kathmandu and some other cities in Nepal, with 19 protesters dying in clashes with police on Monday.

Nepal’s Minister for Communication Prints Subba told the BBC later that day that police should use force – which included water cannons, sticks and launching rubber bullets.

Some protesters have been able to disrupt the perimeter of the Kathmandu Parliament building, causing police to impose a police hour around key government buildings and to tighten security.

On Tuesday, protesters also set fire to parliament in the capital Kathmandu, sending a thick black smoke that is thrown into the sky. Government buildings and the houses of political leaders have been attacked throughout the country.

At least three people were reported to have been killed on Tuesday, which led to the total number of deaths at least 22 since the beginning of the unrest.

Many of the wounded were taken to local hospitals where crowds were gathered. The BBC Nepali talks to doctors who said they treated firearms and injuries from rubber bullets.

Police said several officers were also injured, with victim data expected to increase.

On Tuesday evening, Nepal Army, General Ashok, Raj Sigel, issued a statement accusing demonstrators of taking advantage of the current crisis by damaging, degrading and setting fire to public and private property.

If the unrest continues, the statement states: “All security institutions, including the Nepal army, are committed to taking control of the situation.”

At the same time, General Ashok Raj Sigel invited the protesters to join a dialogue to find a solution to Nepal’s toughest excitement for decades.

Exploded on social media and led by the young people of the nation, this protest is unlike anyone who is seen before in Nepal.

Demonstrators identify themselves as Gen Z and the term has become a rally symbol during movement.

Although there was no central leadership point, a number of youth teams emerge as a mobilizing force, making calls for action and sharing online updates.

Students from colleges and universities in the big cities of Nepal – Kathmandu, Pohara and Itahari – are invited to join uniforms, books in hand, while videos distributed on social media show even students participating in the marches.

Their two main requests are clear: the government is raising the ban on social media, which has now happened, and employees put an end to what they call “corrupt practices”.

Protesters, many of them college students, associate the blockade of social media to limiting freedom of expression and widespread allegations of corruption between politicians.

“We want to see a cessation of corruption in Nepal,” Benu KS, a 19-year-old college student, told the BBC Nepali. “Leaders promise one thing during the election, but they never come. They are the cause of so many problems.” She added that the ban on social media has violated her education, limiting access to online classes and studying resources.

Subhana budhathoki, a content creator, sounds dissatisfaction: “Gen Z will not stop now. This protest is more than only social media – it is a matter of silencing our votes and we will not allow it to happen.”

The determining characteristic of the protest is the widespread use of two slogans – #Nepo Baby and #Nepo Kids.

These two terms have gained popularity on social media over the last few weeks, after a number of videos showing the lavish lifestyle of politicians and their families have become viral in Nepal.

Protesters claim that these people enjoy success and luxury without merit, living with public money, while ordinary Nepalis fight.

Tiktok and Instagram viral videos contrasted the lavish lifestyle of political families – including designer clothing, foreign trips and luxury cars – with the harsh realities that young people face, including unemployment and forced migration.

The slogans have become symbolic of deeper impotence than inequality, as protesters compare the life of the elite with those of everyday citizens.

While the Prime Minister withdrew, it is not clear who will replace him – or what happens after that, no one was seemingly answered.

Some leaders, including ministers, have been reported to have found refuge with the security forces.

So far, protesters have largely opposed an indefinite hour in Kathmandu and outside.

Protesters call for accountability and management reforms. However, if the government fails to engage meaningfully, analysts warn that excitement can further escalate, especially when students and groups of civil society join.