Hinduist Monarchy to be reinstalled!? Did foreign forces instigated coup de etat in Nepal: How much is each Generation Z’ protester get paid!?

Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli resigns a day after deadly protests over alleged government corruption kills 19 people.
Defying a curfew, protesters on Tuesday broke into the parliament building and set it on fire, says an official, Earlier, they stormed the office of the country’s largest party, Nepali Congress, and residences of several prominent politicians.

Why are ‘nepo kids’ angering Nepal’s youth?

A key trigger for the protests, say activists and experts, has been a growing perception that the families of the ruling elite live lives of relative luxury in an otherwise poor nation, exposing deep inequalities.

On Nepali social media, the term “nepo kids” — a play on nepotism — was viral in the weeks leading up to Monday’s protests. The term is commonly used to refer to the children of top government officials and ministers.

Nepal’s government officials and politicians have long faced accusations of widespread corruption, opacity over how public money is spent, and whether parts of it are used to fund the lavish lifestyles that their families appear to enjoy, despite modest official salaries.

Several videos on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram show the relatives of government officials and ministers travelling in or posing next to expensive cars and wearing designer brands.

Situation ‘very volatile’, human rights lawyer says

Mohna Ansari, a human rights lawyer and former member of Nepal’s Human Rights Commission, says the situation has been “very critical” since Monday with the killings of 19 people.

“The situation is very volatile. … The army and other security heads issued a statement just a while ago, appealing the people to maintain peace and harmony,” Ansari told Al Jazeera.

Who is KP Sharma Oli, the PM who resigned?

When he was sworn in for his fourth term in July last year, the 73-year-old leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), or CPN-UML, promised to fight corruption and poverty in the landlocked country wedged between India and China.

From a teenage revolutionary imprisoned for 14 years to the country’s highest office, Oli has been a central player during the political and economic uncertainty that has beset Nepal since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.

Born in 1952 in eastern Nepal, Oli’s early life was marked by hardship. His mother died of smallpox when he was four, and his family was displaced by floods, forcing him to live with his grandparents.

He entered politics as a young activist aligned with communist ideology and was imprisoned in the 1970s and 1980s for opposing the monarchy, an experience that shaped his political outlook and public image.

KP Sharma Oli was Nepal’s 14th prime minister since 2008 [File: Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters]

He was a founding member of the CPN-UML and became prominent nationally as he developed an ability to forge political alliances. He held key ministerial roles, including as interior and foreign minister, before serving as prime minister.

Oli first assumed the premiership in 2015 at a time when a blockade of its border crossings with India left the country short of fuel and medicine for several months.

Considered by some political watchers to be closer to China, Oli adopted a tougher line with India in his first term as he whipped up nationalist sentiment while altering Nepal’s map by including disputed territories controlled by India.

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Kathmandu Post website down after attack on office

As reported, protesters have set fire to a building housing the offices of Nepal’s largest media group, Kantipur Publications, which publishes, among other things, The Kathmandu Post.

In a post on X, the newspaper said that due to the attack, its servers were down, hindering its ability to post articles on its website.

“We are posting all our reporting and updates on our social media platforms. Thanks for supporting our work,” The Kathmandu Post wrote.

India tightens security along Nepal border: Report

Police in India’s Uttarakhand state say they are strengthening security along the border with Nepal in light of the mass anticorruption protests, India’s ANI news agency reports.

The police, paramilitary and armed forces are conducting patrols along the Kali River and other sensitive areas under the jurisdiction of the border police, they said.

Earlier, India’s Ministry for External Affairs said it was “closely monitoring” the escalating situation in Nepal.

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Leaders’ homes in flames during mass protests

Defying a curfew, protesters have stormed the office of Nepal’s largest party and set fire to the residences of prominent politicians, a day after 19 people were killed in antigovernment protests.

Watch our report below:
Nepali media house set ablaze by protesters: Report

Protesters have set fire to a building in Kathmandu that houses the country’s largest media house, Kantipur Publications, India’s The Hindu newspaper reports.

Kantipur Publications publishes The Kathmandu Post, which is housed in the building along with other enterprises and offices.
Key facts about Nepal

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‘People saw no other option but to take to the streets’

“A transitional arrangement will now need to be charted out swiftly and include figures who still retain credibility with Nepalis, especially the country’s youth,” says Ashish Pradhan, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group.

Widespread criticism over the government’s failure to pursue major corruption cases and create more economic opportunities for young people added to the anger. The youth unemployment rate in Nepal was 20 percent last year, according to the World Bank.

“All these issues have made the youth of Nepal dissatisfied. They saw no other option but to take to the streets,” Pradhan said.

He said the latest protests seem to have a larger purpose and are mirroring youth-led uprisings in neighbouring Bangladesh and Sri Lanka that toppled their governments.

“It appears people are just done with how things have been going on. They want a change,” he said.

Source :

Al Jazeera