Riddled with corruption, nepotism, unemployment, conflict among the coalition partners and violent repression of dissent, 14 subsequent governments of Nepal have failed to come up with sustainable solutions since the fall of the monarchy in 2008.
Even though the government top brass has had long talks on globalisation, boosting tourism, raising modern infrastructures, upholding democratic principles and promoting secular values, the key issues of public discontent remained unfulfilled, according to an article by The Weekly Blitz.
Therefore, members of the parties outside the ruling coalition and the apolitical youth always remain vocal on social media, due to the governmentโs priorities centring on tourism and heavy-handed tactics against street demonstrations.
Taking advantage of widespread discontent and conflict among the ruling partners, the opposition parties geared up their campaigns on social media, and conscious citizens in the foreign-funded civil society organisations held seminars, exhibitions and demonstrations to engage the youth.
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A large part of the Gen Z population, who are not interested in political affairs due to a lack of trust in politicians, spends time on hairstyle, attire, bikes, sports events, alcohol, synthetic drugs, gambling, dancing, romance and social media presentation.
Many of them would leave the country at any time, be it for higher studies or a job.
Another faction of the countryโs youth, who are politically conscious and affected directly by the governmentโs inefficiency and failures, have been the supporters of political- and civil society-driven efforts towards a visible and effective change in governance and economic development.
They dream of a dignified life in Nepal, coping with the fast-changing global trends.
Of the political demonstrations of the last couple of years, only the pro-monarchy protests on November 23, 2023, and March 9 of this year made some impact, as the Rastriya Prajantantra Party (RPP) of former King Gyanendra Shah drummed up public support by highlighting corruption and anti-Hindu policies of the ruling coalition.
While the demonstrations drew fewer participants, many of them were youthโmostly college studentsโdreaming of a regime change, as if only a new government would solve the crises, despite a deplorable track record in the last 17 years.
Yet, the RPPโs protests made headlines due to the clashes with police and ruling coalition supporters. The small party started gaining public support as the people started talking about a change in the government, and its policies concerning the economy, development and corruption.
People followed the political developments on TV, newspapers and social media and while talking to friends and locals at restaurants and bars. Commuters also did not give much attention to the small processions and always avoided the spots of political events.
In the last few months, people could sense a change in the air as the conflict among the ruling coalition increased manifold and debate over the constitutional amendments heated up amid social media campaigns against the Nepo Kidsโthe children of the ministers and ruling elite, showing off their luxurious lives on social media. But such trends are also common among the middle- and lower-class people.
The dependence of the Gen Zs on social media and their aspirations for a life free from restrictions and economic hardship were heavily hit as the government started talking about tightening its grip on public opinion, with special focus on civil society organisations and the youth.
This is why, when the government and the Supreme Court expressed similar views on the operations of social media platforms in Nepal in late August, followed by a complete ban on 26 international firms, including Facebook and YouTube, on September 4, the youth reacted sharply.
Nonetheless, the most popular platform in Nepal, TikTok, faced no restrictions, giving relief to the content makers.
The opposition parties, social media influencers, and youth groups labelled the restrictions as rude steps to suppress freedom of expressionโa term usually coined by civil society organisations influenced or funded by donor agencies, like the USAID, UNDP and Open Society Foundations by George Soros.
All these groups participated in the march to the Federal Parliament building at New Baneshwor from Maitighar, in the heart of Kathmandu, on September 8.
As per the prior announcement of Hami Nepal, a youth-centric NGO run by 36-year-old activist Sudan Gurung, who is described as a committed philanthropist with over a decade of experience in disaster response, the protesters were supposed to hold a peaceful demonstration and demand an end to corruption and nepotism, as well as the withdrawal of the ban on social media platforms.
The organisers even said that they would give flowers to the police if obstructed.
But when the procession reached near the parliament and the police stopped them with barricades, the attendees became defiant and started venting their anger against the ruling elite at the law enforcers.
As the protesters broke through the cordon and some entered the parliament premises while pelting bricks, the police retaliated with tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets, triggering a mass hysteria. They chanted slogans against the leaders, including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and demanded he โleave the country.โ
In the blink of an eye, a so-called peaceful demonstration of Gen Z and civil society turned into an anarchist riot to overthrow the government and capture powerโas if their masks fellโprompting the police to use live bullets following the announcement of curfew and warning against attacks on government establishments.
While the death toll was one with over 80 bullet injuries in the afternoon, by nightfall, it rose to 19 with over 400 injuries.
The anti-establishment media, civil society, celebrities and opposition parties branded it a serious violation of human rights and the right to assembly. The protesters gained massive support from all quarters, and when the protest resumed on Tuesday (September 9), it spread across the country like a wildfire, forcing the prime minister to resign.
In Kathmandu, the epicentre, the Gen Z and others demonstrated severe madness against the police. They were rude while looting and torching the parliament, government offices and houses of leaders, and assaulting the politicians. Many were seen firing from sophisticated arms, some of which were looted from the police.
Across the capital, the mayhem of Wednesday was an act of zombies being under the influence of synthetic drugs and alcohol, according to political observers.
As the mass hysteria eased amid a curfew on Wednesday, when the Nepal Army initiated an interim administration under President Ramchandra Paudel, analysts started talking about the regime change plotters, key organisers of the riots, beneficiaries and the drug that energised the sleeping tigers.
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