Nepal's parliament set on fire after PM KP Sharma Oli resigns over anti-corruption protests

The protests intensified on Tuesday with demonstrators setting fire to the private residences of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and President Ram Chandra Poudel, as public anger over corruption, governance failures, and a controversial social media ban spiraled into widespread unrest.

According to The Kathmandu Post, protesters also torched the ruling Nepali Congress party’s central office in Sanepa and vandalised the houses of former prime ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Sher Bahadur Deuba, along with Energy Minister Deepak Khadka’s residence.

According to The Kathmandu Post, protesters also torched the ruling Nepali Congress party’s central office in Sanepa and vandalised the houses of former prime ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Sher Bahadur Deuba, along with Energy Minister Deepak Khadka’s residence.

The week-long demonstrations erupted after the Oli government imposed a sweeping ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, sparking outrage among Gen Z, who considered the move a curb on free expression.

The unrest turned deadly when police opened fire on demonstrators. At least 19 people were killed nationwide, with 18 deaths in Kathmandu alone, and hundreds more were injured.

Media reports, quoting witnesses, reported that several of the victims were students, dressed in their school and college uniforms.

A generation at a crossroads

Nepal’s Gen Z, those born after 1997, make up nearly 30% of the population. Having grown up in a republic established after the 2006 abolition of the monarchy, they are digitally native, politically restless, and skeptical of the old guard.

Their protests are not just about social media censorship but reflect an uprising against unemployment, brain drain, and poor governance.

According to the Department of Foreign Employment, hundreds of thousands of young Nepalis leave the country each year to seek employment abroad.

What comes next?

Oli’s resignation has left a vacuum at the center of Nepal’s fragile politics. The ruling coalition is struggling to find a replacement, but with no single party commanding overwhelming support, the path forward is uncertain.

The opposition is already maneuvering, and concerns are growing about a protracted power struggle.

Meanwhile, protesters vow to stay on the streets until meaningful changes are promised.