Nepal Gen Z Protests: Kathmandu-born socio-political activist Ranju Darshana describes the ongoing protests in Nepal as nothing short of a generational revolt. Currently in California on a personal visit, she is restless and furious, desperate to return home as her country grapples with grief and anger.
“The Gen Z protest was never about social media bans,” she said. “It was about corruption, accountability, and the rage against Nepo Kids who flaunt their wealth while ordinary youth in Nepal struggle for survival.”
For weeks, young Nepalese had been expressing frustration over the unchecked privilege of political heirs and elites. Social media platforms became a mirror to inequality—reels showcasing luxury cars, designer jewellery, and sprawling mansions clashed with the daily lives of working-class youth, many of whom endure 17-hour workdays just to make ends meet.
“This anger spilled into the streets,” Darshana explained. “But instead of listening, they answered with bullets.”
The violence turned tragic when police reportedly opened fire on school students participating in peaceful demonstrations. At least 20 children lost their lives—an incident that has shaken the Himalayan nation and sparked outrage among its citizens at home and abroad.
“How brutal can you be, to shoot at kids in uniform?” Darshana asked, her voice breaking. “Our little ones wanted answers to corruption and nepotism. Instead, their chests were pumped with bullets. How can people accept this?”
Darshana, who left Nepal only a few days ago, said she has been in constant contact with family, friends, and fellow activists. The distance, she admitted, has made her feel powerless. She has been trying to prepone her flight back to Kathmandu.
“As soon as I get a ticket, I will be back home,” she affirmed. “I cannot stay away when my people are suffering. I belong there, in the streets, with them.”
International coverage of the protests initially mischaracterized them as a response to a government ban on social media. But activists like Darshana stress that the demonstrations stemmed from deeper grievances: decades of political corruption, the growing wealth gap, and the entrenchment of nepotism in Nepal’s governance.
For many young protesters, the tragedy has turned their calls for accountability into a national movement of resistance. The deaths of schoolchildren have become a rallying point, symbolizing the cost of silence in the face of injustice.
While authorities have remained defensive, accusing protesters of incitement, Nepal’s Gen Z sees the crisis differently. For them, this is not just another political protest but the beginning of a fight for their future—a demand for a system where privilege does not suffocate merit, and accountability is not a distant dream.
As Darshana summed it up: “This is not about politics alone. This is about dignity, about justice, about whether our youth will ever get to live with hope instead of fear.”
