In September 2025, Nepal was shaken by mass youth-led protests sparked by the government’s decision to ban 26 social media and messaging platforms. While the measure was justified as a regulatory issue, it was widely perceived as an attack on freedom of expression. What began as peaceful demonstrations quickly escalated when security forces used live ammunition, killing nearly 20 students and injuring hundreds.
A Deep Fissure between Nepal’s commons and Political Elite
The state’s heavy-handed response transformed the movement from a single-issue protest into a broader revolt against entrenched corruption and political mismanagement. Public anger manifested in direct attacks on senior leaders, with homes vandalized and officials assaulted. The political class, long criticized for self-interest and inefficiency, found itself delegitimized as many fled the country. Even the Prime Minister resigned and abandoned office, symbolizing a collapse of state authority.
The ensuing breakdown of order, marked by looting and destruction, prompted the army to impose a nationwide curfew and take control of law and order. The episode has exposed deep fissures between Nepal’s youth and its political elite, raising questions about the durability of its democratic institutions and the legitimacy of its leadership.
What do the people of Nepal want?
The question here now arises is what do the people of Nepal want? The ban on social media was just a trigger to a bomb which was ready to explode, almost every family in Nepal has a person who works abroad sending remittances back home, a ban on these social media platforms also meant a drawback on the communication between family members in Nepal and abroad. Moreover, this was not the only issue for the protests.
- As inflation in Nepal is very high, and the number of jobs within the country very low and underpaying the people have been left with no other option than to move abroad for better jobs leaving people alienated in their own state, for an average person with a decent income to own a car is like a distant dream to make come true as the prices of cars in Nepal are untouchable.
- The education system for the common people and the poor in the society is very much underdeveloped, while the children of the officials of the Nepalese government are very highly privileged and studying in the top universities of the world.
- Political instability has left the path towards development in Nepal completely shattered as one can see from the year 2008 itself Nepal saw up to 14 governments change which indicates that the government has no vision or goal towards Nepal’s future development. Mostly the political elite in power are of the older generation where there is no space for young and new leaders to make their voice heard, there exists no cohesion between policy makers in addressing the challenges of the society.
- The disease of corruption has flooded the Nepalese society not only in the higher levels of the government but down to the very grassroots, where things won’t be done until the right amount of bribe is met. Political leaders sitting in an elite setup to discuss the course of the country has left the wants and needs of the common Nepalese people discarded where the government has failed to provide the basic necessities of modern human life.
- Despite the abundant hydroelectric potential considering the country’s Himalayan location, frequent and prolonged power shutdowns have infuriated the commons. With the domestic energy needs were left unaddressed the political elite of Nepal were busily pre-engaged in hydroelectricity exports from Nepal.
Social media ban is more than what we think
Given the ban on social media platforms meant isolating Nepal from the world, how would the people inspire? How would the world be able to see Nepal without being physically present? For many who live in rural areas and don’t have the financial capacity to go foreign countries, social media provided them a platform of opportunity to see the different interesting things around the world. what would they do? And for how long would the people of Nepal adhere to the nonsensical policies of the government? This protest was not just merely against the social media ban but was an outburst of piling issues until the people finally had their cup of tea full and decided to act into their own hands.
There are various stories emerging from Nepal along with a pile of disinformation many suggest that the Gen Z protests have been taken over by party affiliated goons who are causing all the violence. While some deny this, with prisons were breached and inmates escaping, one can see the lawlessness prevailing over Nepal only to hope for the army to restore peace.
People must be very careful while consuming the information out in the public domain. The people specially the youth want a change in Nepal, a change for their better future bringing about transparency, accountability and stability in the government along with equal opportunities for all bringing about inclusivity in every sphere of life in Nepal. The future of Nepal will be decided in the coming times who forms the government? Or what form of government? Everything must be decided by keeping the wants of the common being first while learning from the mistakes committed in the past.
