 "Months after Oli govt collapse, why is Nepal witnessing Gen-Z protests again?")
Nepal witnessed unrest months after ‘Gen Z’ protests toppled the KP Sharma Oli government. Fresh tensions erupted on Wednesday (November 19) as youths clashed with members of the ousted PM Oli’s party.
A curfew remained imposed in Simara, a town in Nepal’s Bara district, for a second day today. The latest flare-up has prompted interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki to appeal for calm.
Let’s take a closer look.
Why Nepal saw protests again
On Wednesday, youth protesters clashed with loyalists of former Prime Minister Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML).
Tensions escalated after two CPN-UML leaders prepared to visit the district from Kathmandu ahead of the March 5, 2026, elections in the country.
As per AFP, brawls broke out, some close to the airport, after CPN-UML cadres allegedly attacked the protesters.
Hundreds of Gen Z demonstrators had gathered outside Simara Airport to oppose the arrival of CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel and party youth leader Mahesh Basnet to take part in an anti-government rally.
A curfew was imposed in parts of the Bara district bordering India to bring the situation under control.
“We are trying to normalise the situation and call them for a dialogue. A curfew has been imposed right now,” Bara district chief Dharmendra Kumar Mishra told AFP.
After the scuffles, Buddha Airlines cancelled all its domestic flights from Nepal’s capital to Simara for the day, including the one carrying the two CPN-UML leaders, who had to go back home.
The curfew remained in force on Thursday. Mishra told AFP that two of the alleged attackers have been arrested. Those arrested include two UML ward chairpersons — Dhan Bahadur Shrestha of Jeetpursimara Ward No 2 and Kaimoddin Ansari of Ward No 6 on charges of assaulting the Gen Z protesters.
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View AllYouth took to the streets again today, demanding action against the attackers. Despite the curfew, demonstrators hit the streets and clashed with police, news portal Khabarhub reported.
“Authorities fired six tear gas canisters and two rounds of aerial fire after protesters defied the curfew and continued advancing,” the report said.
Protesters also pelted stones at police, injuring six personnel. Four Gen-Z demonstrators were also reportedly wounded.
Nepal interim PM calls for peace
Interim PM Sushila Karki called on all parties to “refrain from unwanted political provocation”, and to have faith in the democratic process ahead of the March elections.
“I have directed the Home Administration and security agencies to work with utmost restraint and preparation to maintain peace and order,” Karki said in a statement late on Wednesday.
Karki said she wanted to “ensure the safe movement of leaders of all political parties, and create a fair and fear-free environment for the elections”.
The interim premier Wednesday held a meeting with representatives of more than 110 parties. “We want this country to be in the hands of a new generation and to be managed by people with vision,” she told the meeting.
Nepal’s Gen Z protests
At least 76 people were killed in Nepal during the ‘Gen Z’ demonstrations in September, triggered by a brief ban on social media. The deep-seated anger against corruption, nepotism and a lack of economic opportunities fuelled these protests across several cities in Nepal.
The deadly protests prompted KP Sharma Oli to resign as the country’s prime minister.
Despite his stepping down, some angry protesters stormed and torched the Nepalese parliament, set fire to government buildings – including the Singha Durbar complex, which houses the Nepali PM’s office – and vandalised politicians’ homes.
Oli was replaced by Karki, a former chief justice who has become Nepal’s first interim woman PM.
The ousted PM’s CPN-UML has been organising protests across Nepal, calling for the reinstatement of the House of Representatives, which dissolved on September 12 after the Gen Z movement toppled his government.
The Nepali youth activists are also seeking action against the alleged mass killings of demonstrators on September 9 during the agitation.
With inputs from agencies
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