10 September 2025 | 08:40 CAT
3-minute read

Nepal Uprising and PM’s resignation

• The Nepalese government banned major social media platforms, sparking nationwide protests that left nearly 20 people dead and forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.
• The Gen Z-driven movement, fuelled by anger over corruption and nepotism, saw protesters storm parliament and set government buildings ablaze, leaving the military in control.
• Media coverage has been limited but objective.
• Nepal now faces uncertainty and risks influence from India and China.

Nepal has witnessed one of its most explosive political crises in decades. What began as a controversial attempt to censor social media quickly mushroomed into a sweeping youth-led revolt, culminating in the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. Central to the unfolding events is the coordination of Nepal’s younger generation and the power of digital communication in reshaping politics.

In this week’s Media Lens on Radio Islam International, Hafidh Ibrahim noted that Nepal is a peaceful and democratic nation shaken by unexpected developments.

“Nepal is a country of 130 million. It is basically landlocked within India and China in a sense. And, yes, there’s been corruption, but it’s been a relatively peaceful, relatively democratic country.”

On September 4, 2025, the Nepalese government imposed a sweeping ban on 26 social media platforms—including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Signal, and Snapchat—under new regulations requiring platforms to register with local authorities.

“What happened though last week was that there was an attempt to ban Facebook, Instagram, and many other social media sites. They were forcing them to register,” Hafidh Ibrahim said.

Critics condemned the action as a thinly veiled attempt at suppressing dissent, arriving amid growing frustration over political corruption, graft, and rampant nepotism symbolised by the “Nepo Kid” phenomenon—public displays of wealth by political elites and their children.

What followed was immediate and explosive. Gen Z protesters—mainly students and young adults—poured into the streets under hashtags like #NepoKid and #GenZProtests.

Clashes erupted in Kathmandu and across the country; security forces deployed tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and eventually live ammunition, tragically resulting in at least 19 deaths and hundreds injured.

Protesters responded with arson, setting fire to the parliament building, government offices, the prime minister’s residence, and other politicians’ homes. The capital’s airport was shut down, with several flights diverted to nearby Indian cities.

In the face of escalating unrest, the government lifted the social media ban—yet the momentum of protest continued. On September 9, 2025, Prime Minister Oli tendered his resignation, stating the move was to facilitate a political solution within the constitutional framework.

The Home Minister, Ramesh Lekhak, had already resigned earlier, acknowledging responsibility for the deadly crackdown. The army and international observers, including the U.S. and U.N., called for calm and political dialogue.

Hafidh Ibrahim said the occurrence underscores how digital connectivity empowered people to expose corruption and mobilise.

“It was very, very rapid, very surprising, but also a sign in the sense of how powerful is the coordination ability and effort, you know, in today’s world with these new means of communication … and how significant they actually are in being able to, or in allowing people to view things that weren’t previously viewed or know things that weren’t previously known.”

On media coverage, Ibrahim said it was limited yet largely balanced so far.

“What coverage has happened, because there’s been so little attempts or interest in the thing, has been quite neutral and objective in talking about the corruption scandals, the fact that youth have become alienated. … which actually has meant that what coverage there has been so far … has actually been quite objective.”

Looking ahead, he warned of risks from a leadership vacuum and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

Yet he sees the uprising as a striking example of modern political change driven by youth.

“But what it does show is that uprisings can happen very successfully done quickly. … newer generations do get more angry when protests or when attempts are made to curb social media. And that corruption, as we saw in Bangladesh, as we saw in Sri Lanka, is still a catalysing force to ensure uprisings and regime overthrows.”

Listen to the Media Lens on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.