KATHMANDU, NEPAL — On Monday, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned from his job and gave it to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. This happened after deadly protests shook the country. The protests, mostly spearheaded by young people in the country, turned into a national crisis when the government banned dozens of social media sites.
On Monday, there were huge protests in the capital city of Kathmandu, as thousands of young people flocked to the streets to protest the government’s directive to limit the use of social media. The peaceful protests swiftly turned violent, leading to fights with police and, sadly, more deaths. The Kathmandu Post said that at least 19 people have died and hundreds more have been hurt when security personnel used tear gas, water cannons, and, in some cases, live bullets to break up the crowds.
Reports say that Home Minister Lekhak of the Nepali Congress party gave his resignation to the Prime Minister during a cabinet meeting, saying that he felt morally responsible for the deaths. He is stepping down because of increasing pressure from opposition parties and civil society groups that have criticized how the administration has dealt with the protests. Some leaders of the opposition are now saying that Prime Minister Oli should also step down.
The “Gen Z” movement protests were sparked by the government’s plan to prohibit 26 social media sites, including popular ones like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X (previously Twitter). The government said these enterprises had to register with Nepalese authorities and name a local contact person in order to follow new rules. This is why the ban was put in place. Many people, notably migrant workers, have had a hard time communicating because of the restriction, and internet businesses have also had a hard time. Many people have said that the ban is a violation of freedom of expression.
Some sites, like TikTok, have followed the new restrictions and are still up and running. However, the widespread block has become a source of anger among young people. The protesters are not just angry over the ban on social media, but they are also angry about what they see as deep-seated government corruption and political instability. The situation is still dangerous, with curfews in place in some parts of Kathmandu and other big towns as officials try to bring things back to normal.