Nepal is reeling after youth-led protests over a social media ban spiraled into deadly clashes. Avenues Khabar’s CEO Ajay Thakur explains how Oli’s dismissal of Gen Z anger fueled outrage, exposing deep discontent over corruption and jobs.
Nepal is reeling from one of its deadliest youth uprisings in recent years after a government move to ban 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube and X, sparked massive protests. At least 20 people have died, hundreds are injured, and Kathmandu remains under curfew. In an exclusive conversation with Asianet Newsable English’s Heena Sharma, Ajay Thakur, CEO of Avenues Khabar, decoded the rage on the streets, the government’s miscalculation, and what might follow.
A Gen Z Flashpoint
Thakur described how the protests mushroomed from a small gathering into a nationwide movement.
“It started at about nine o’clock in the morning… It first was restricted to Maitighar Mandala where people congregated to protest against both the closure of the social media networks as well as corruption. It looked like an absolute Gen Z kind of a protest.”
For Nepal’s young population — nearly 70% of the country — social media is more than entertainment. It is connection, livelihood, and a space for dissent.
“Not to forget the fact that the social media platforms are also a great source of income for a lot of these youths… influencers, opinion makers, videos and stuff like that. There’s a huge population which depends upon that. And most importantly, in a democracy, this is one of the best places for them to give in to their feelings.”
From Parliament Gates to Chaos
The demonstrations escalated dramatically as crowds surged towards the Parliament House.
“They just gate crashed the Parliament. There were scenes of students getting into Parliament Annex and some of them even roughed up the cops, but at the same time, the cops struck back. The most disturbing news… over 80 people have been injured, 17 people have been confirmed dead and the figure is expected to rise.”
Reports of live bullets being fired have fueled public anger further, even as officials maintain silence.
Oli’s Laughter, Youth’s Fury
Adding fuel to the fire was Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s reaction. Just as protests swelled, Oli was re-elected UML party chief and mocked the demonstrators.
“In one of the sessions, he actually laughed at the Gen Z protests. That added a bit of insult to injury.”
For protesters already frustrated with unemployment, corruption, and mass migration, the social media shutdown was the last straw.
“Ban on social media was the flashpoint. That was the last thing the government should have done… This time it was like a more enough is enough.”
Government Caught Napping
According to Thakur, the authorities were completely unprepared:
“One thing is definitely clear — the government was caught napping because the way this whole thing panned out… This is also going to be, it’s not going to be an easy task for the government to wriggle out, mind you.”
The ruling coalition itself appears divided, with the UML and Nepali Congress pulling in different directions.
“There are also simmerings within the ruling coalition because the way this has been handled. Mind you, the elections are less than two years away. This could also be a huge sign as to how things are going to pan out in the future.”
What Lies Ahead?
Despite the government’s internet clampdown, platforms like TikTok and Reddit have kept the protests alive.
“Even when they shut down everything, we saw the crowd climbing from a mere hundred to almost twenty, twenty five thousand plus in less than three hours flat. That was TikTok for you, that was Reddit for you.”
Thakur warned that the situation remains unpredictable.
“This country is way far beyond what its government would have imagined… I would say full marks to the kids, the way they have managed themselves, the way they have come together. But then again, the thing is, we don’t know which way the things are going to pan out at this point.”
For now, an uneasy silence hangs over Nepal. As Thakur put it:
“None of the leading political leaders of this country, in the past six hours of citizens versus police, have spoken even a word about it.”
As Nepal faces its biggest youth-led uprising in years, the unanswered question remains: will the Oli government listen to its young citizens or tighten its grip further?