While Nepal’s streets are filled with grief and determination, much of the media coverage outside the country has failed to capture the reality of the movement.
Published Sep 12, 2025 | 12:02 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 12, 2025 | 12:02 PM
Protesters in Nepal.
Synopsis: Nepal is witnessing the deadliest unrest in decades as a youth-led anti-corruption protest sweeps across the country. Protesters have gone against the curfews and scaled the walls of parliament, setting fire to government buildings and the homes of political leaders. The fire now consuming Nepal is fuelled by a generation’s refusal to remain silent in the face of systemic corruption and injustice.
Nepal is witnessing the deadliest unrest in decades as a youth-led anti-corruption protest — known as the Gen Z protest — sweeps across the country. The demonstrations, which began earlier this week, have triggered violent clashes with security forces and forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.
This is not simply a protest. It is a generational uprising, an explosion of frustration from young Nepalis who feel robbed of their future by corruption, inequality, and decades of political instability.
Even the prime minister’s resignation has not quelled the fury. Instead, the protests have intensified, drawing strength from grief and igniting calls for dignity, accountability, and justice.
The Ministry of Health and Population, in its latest update, confirmed that 34 people have died, while 1,368 are receiving treatment at various hospitals across the country.
Protesters have gone against the curfews and scaled the walls of parliament, setting fire to government buildings and the homes of political leaders.
Meanwhile, Nepali citizens counter the Indian media’s reporting on the protests. The government’s controversial social media ban may have lit the spark, but the fire now consuming Nepal is fuelled by something far deeper — a generation’s refusal to remain silent in the face of systemic corruption and injustice.
For young Nepalis, the protests are not just a reaction to a single policy decision. It is their voice against the exploitation they faced. Anshu Khanal, a young journalist and activist from Nepal who is currently in India, captured this sentiment with clarity.
“For us, protests have become the only way to assert our rights and existence,” Khanal said. “These demonstrations are fundamentally about dignity and survival. Growing corruption, inequality, political instability, and the suppression of civil rights have left us dissatisfied and hopeless about our future.”
Khanal emphasised that even though the government’s short-lived social media ban sparked outrage, it was only a trigger. “This protest is not merely about social media bans; it represents the eruption of long-standing grievances and systemic injustice,” she explained.
The human cost of the protests weighs heavily on her voice. “More than 30 citizens have already died, and many more are injured, and data regarding more human damages is still coming in. Their deaths have caused widespread grief and deep concern among the public,” Khanal said.
“Instead of showing why the youth are protesting, what they are going through, and the justice they want, media coverage often just turns their struggle into headlines,” she added.
While Nepal’s streets are filled with grief and determination, much of the media coverage outside the country has failed to capture the reality of the movement. According to Khanal, what is missing is not information, but understanding.
“The Indian media’s coverage of the protests has been inconsistent,” she pointed out. “Many outlets have even circulated inaccurate information, such as reports claiming that President Ramchandra Paudel resigned,” she said.
“The President hasn’t resigned, but the reality is that he is not addressing the nation,” Khanal said. “One press release is spreading on social media in his name, but we don’t know whether it’s fake or real. It doesn’t have a government stamp, but even if it is not a fake release, we don’t need that. We want him to address us live,” she stressed.
In the circulated release, President Paudel appeals to Nepali citizens to remain calm and cooperative, saying he is making efforts within the constitutional framework to find a solution to the crisis, protect democracy, and maintain peace and order in the country.
Across Nepal, civil society campaigns are gaining momentum under the hashtag #MakeThePresidentPublic, reflecting the public’s urgent demand for a live address from the President and the government.
Posters and messages calling for clarity and direct communication from the President are circulating widely, showing how deeply citizens want transparency and accountability during these tense times.
Khanal, along with other Nepali youngsters, believes the story behind the protests goes far beyond what the reports show.
“The most significant elements missing in coverage are truth and empathy. There has been insufficient effort to understand the psychology of the protesting youth, their suffering, and the justice they seek. Fair reporting on their struggle and the importance of press freedom is often neglected,” she said.
For her, this gap is not only a professional concern but a personal wound.
“As a Nepali citizen, I feel betrayed by the system. Every day, we witness growing corruption and injustice, and now the youth are bravely risking their lives on the streets in the protests. I am proud of their courage, but at times, I feel helpless; but I firmly believe that our voices must not be silenced any longer,” she added.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
