Pokhara, 9 September | The government, in a brutal act of repression, crossed all lines of democratic values and human rights on Monday, suppressing the rising new generation. In Kathmandu and other cities, police fired indiscriminately at Gen-Z youth protesting for good governance, resulting in the tragic death of 19 young people. The government’s decision to shut down social media platforms had further fueled the Gen-Z movement. The government, led by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and coalition partner Sher Bahadur Deuba, is accused of adopting a policy of repression. Despite having options like tear gas and water cannons to control the crowd, police used live ammunition against their own unarmed citizens.
This incident is not merely a matter of police psychology; it is directly linked to the governance incompetence of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and coalition partner Sher Bahadur Deuba. This incompetence led the government to lose its विवेक in Kathmandu and other cities today. In this brutal crackdown, 19 young people, who took to the streets to vent their anger over the social media ban, have died, and more than four hundred are being treated in hospitals. This is likely the first time in Nepal’s history of peaceful political movements that so many people have been killed by state repression in a single day at a single location. Despite this massive human toll, Prime Minister Oli remains in his position, while Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, from the Nepali Congress, resigned under immense pressure. It is important to remember that during the 19-day People’s Movement, when a similar number of people died, then-King Gyanendra Shah had to abdicate his throne.
Political scientist Professor Krishna Khanal stated that this is a horrific event in Nepal’s political history. He said the government has completely lost its sense of restraint and showed no awareness. Professor Khanal believes that the government never evaluated the growing public frustration with the political parties’ activities. Political leaders had been dismissing public discontent as the work of anti-system elements. Against this backdrop, the decision to ban social media sparked the Gen-Z rebellion. According to Dr. Jeevan Baniya, Deputy Director of Social Science Baha, the state failed to understand the increasing frustration among the youth and their declining trust in traditional parties. The social media ban disconnected a large community, whose anger then spilled onto the streets.
The tragic level of human loss could have been avoided if state agencies had followed minimum security standards and precautions. Police could have used tear gas or water cannons to stop the youth from approaching the restricted area near the parliament building. However, they only resorted to a brutal crackdown after the angry youth reached the vicinity of the building. Dr. Baniya called this an example of the failure of the security system and emphasized that those in positions of responsibility must be held accountable. During the crackdown, police violated basic norms, entering the Civil Service Hospital and firing tear gas. They also chased protesters carrying the injured inside the hospital premises, causing doctors on duty to be exposed to tear gas.
According to Professor Khanal, the government should have been aware of the Gen-Z youth’s preparation for the protest on social media. This shows the extent of government ineptitude. The decision to ban social media was based on a directive, even though a law could have been passed by the parliament. He believes this is a result of bureaucracy dominating governance. The main demands of the Gen-Z movement were to restore social media access and to stop corruption. While leaders of the ruling parties have tried to discredit the movement by claiming it was infiltrated, the state’s fundamental responsibility is to ensure the safety of its citizens. The government has failed in this basic duty.
