Kathmandu, September 10: Nepali President Ram Chandra Paudel is expected to meet protesting citizens on Wednesday to pursue a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Gen Z movement through dialogue. He will meet with a delegation of protestors alongside the Nepalese Army.
The call for talks came late Tuesday after President Paudel accepted the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. According to The Himalayan Times, citing an official statement from the President, he urged all parties to resolve the crisis without further bloodshed or destruction. “I urge all sides to remain calm, prevent further harm to the nation, and come to the table for talks. In a democracy, the demands raised by citizens can be addressed through dialogue and negotiation,” the statement read.
The appeal comes on the second day of violent demonstrations that left at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured when security forces opened fire on protesters outside the Federal Parliament.
Earlier, four ministers resigned from the government following the Gen Z protests—a widespread movement led primarily by young people and students demanding government accountability and transparency.
The protests began on September 8 in Kathmandu and other major cities, including Pokhara, Butwal, and Birgunj, after the government banned 26 major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube, citing tax revenue and cybersecurity concerns. Citizens viewed the move as an attack on free speech and a method to suppress dissent.
Protesters are demanding an end to institutionalized corruption and favoritism in governance, greater accountability and transparency, and the revocation of the social media ban. Public frustration intensified when the “Nepo Babies” trend on social media exposed the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, highlighting economic disparities and fueling anger over corruption, nepotism, and inequality.
Amid these grievances, Nepal’s ongoing jobs crisis—with nearly 5,000 young people leaving the country daily to seek work abroad—has further contributed to the unrest.
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