Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli resigned amid large-scale protests against social media blockades, during which 19 people died, reports Reuters. “Due to the unfavorable situation in the country, I have resigned from today to facilitate the resolution of the issue and help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution,” reads the prime minister's statement, which he sent to Nepal's President Ram Chandra Paudel. Before this, the ministers of internal affairs, health, agriculture, as well as sports and youth left the government.
On Tuesday, as the unrest continued for the second day, protesters set fire to government buildings, police stations, and politicians' homes in Nepal's capital, even after the country's leader resigned and social media restrictions were lifted. The Supreme Court building was burned, as were the headquarters of the Communist Party of Nepal and the Nepali Congress party.
A day before, authorities opened fire on a crowd of young demonstrators, resulting in at least 19 deaths and more than 400 injuries. This became one of the largest social disturbances in the country in recent years.
Members of the ruling elite became personal targets of the unrest in Kathmandu. The homes of several former prime ministers were set on fire. The Khabarhub portal reported that the wife of former Nepalese Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal died after protesters attacked their residence. According to the portal, protesters locked her inside the house and set it on fire.
Mass protests erupted in Nepal's capital Kathmandu on September 8. They began after authorities blocked Facebook, Twitter (X), YouTube, and about 20 other social networks and messengers. The official reason for the blockade was their refusal to register in the country. Previously, TikTok was blocked in Nepal for the same reason, and Telegram was blocked under the pretext of combating fraud.
During the protest, which the media called the “Generation Z Revolution” due to the age of the participants, the slogans went far beyond the decision to block neighbors, with protesters speaking about corruption and economic inequality.
Photo: AFP