Nepal is burning, not just with fire on its streets, but with the anger of an entire generation. For years, leaders have played games with power, looted public money, and silenced voices. The social media ban was only the beginning; the real fuel was corruption, broken promises, and decades of misrule.

Young people are not just mad about one leader or one party. They are mad at a whole system that gives them no jobs, no future, and no hope. While politicians’ families live in luxury, ordinary Nepalis are forced to leave their country to work in the Gulf, Europe, or the US for low-paying jobs. This deep inequality is the heart of the protests.

In just two days, Nepal’s politics has been turned upside down. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on September 9 after days of violent protests. His resignation was one of the main demands of the protesters, who blamed him for the death of 19 people on the first day of clashes.

Protestors also attacked the homes of top leaders, set fire to parliament, the Supreme Court, and other government buildings. The Nepal Army was called in, and soldiers were deployed on the streets to control the situation.

Why did people protest?

The protests began on September 8 after the government banned 26 social media apps. Only a few, including TikTok, remained accessible. For young people, already frustrated by corruption, poor governance, and joblessness, this was the last straw.

Before the ban, viral videos under the trend “Nepo Baby”  showed the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ families compared to ordinary people struggling for work or migrating abroad for low-paying jobs.

Bigger issues behind public anger

  • Corruption: Almost every major political leader has faced corruption charges. Even large projects like airports have been marred by mismanagement.

  • Weak economy: Nepal’s economy has barely grown. Most young people migrate abroad, and the country depends heavily on remittances.

  • Political instability: Since becoming a democracy in 2008, Nepal has seen constant power struggles among the same three major parties. Governments change frequently, but little improves for the people.

What started as peaceful protests by students and young people quickly turned violent. Police used force, killing 19 people on the first day and 3 more later. Around 400 were injured.

Videos showed ministers being attacked in their homes, the Finance Minister being dragged on the streets, and helicopters evacuating leaders. By afternoon on September 9, Prime Minister Oli had stepped down.

Yes, the violence is tragic. The deaths of 22 people are a heavy price. But it also shows how desperate the youth have become. When peaceful protests are ignored and voices are crushed, frustration spills into the streets.

Nepal’s democracy is 17 years old, but it has given little to its people. The same old leaders keep rotating in power, hiding corruption under slogans of “development.” Banning social media was the final stage of tolerance, an attempt to control the only space where young Nepalis could speak freely.

Prime Minister Oli’s resignation is not the end. It is only a beginning. If Nepal’s politicians don’t wake up now, the anger of its young people will keep coming back, stronger each time. The message is clear: Nepal’s Gen Z will no longer accept corruption, nepotism, and misgovernance as the cost of living in their own country.