New Delhi: Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is currently under significant political strain following the resignation of two prominent cabinet ministers within a day of youth-led protests that erupted in Kathmandu on Monday. The situation escalated when Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari announced his resignation on Tuesday, criticizing the government’s “authoritarian” approach to the demonstrations. This came on the heels of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s resignation on Monday evening, which occurred just hours after violent clashes resulted in the deaths of 19 individuals. In his resignation letter, Adhikari expressed his disapproval of the government’s handling of what initially began as peaceful protests, stating that the state opted for suppression and violence rather than acknowledging citizens’ rights to question and protest in a democratic society. He emphasized that he could not ethically remain in his position while the government was unaccountable for its brutal response to the youth demonstrators. The protests were ignited by the government’s controversial decision to ban major social media platforms, due to their failure to register locally. This decision particularly mobilized the Gen Z demographic, born between 1995 and 2010, who took to the streets in large numbers, chanting slogans such as “Stop the ban on social media, stop corruption not social media!” as they marched toward Parliament, waving national flags in a display of defiance against the government’s actions.
Nepal’s Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari has stepped down following protests from Generation Z regarding a ban on social media.
