KP Sharma Oli Resigns: Beyond Social Media Ban, A 'Gen-Z Reckoning' in Nepal

Oli's resignation comes after at least 19 people were killed on Monday after they clashed with security forces.

Protests turned violent in Nepal after the KP Oli government banned social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram etc. 

(Photo: PTI/Altered by Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The streets of Kathmandu and many other parts of Nepal are now transformed into battlefields, with harrowing chants of the young echoing amid plumes of tear gas. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has resigned. At least 19 people have been killed since Monday, 8 September, when a nationwide protest led by the 'Gen-Z' against corruption, nepotism, and high-handedness in the government led to violent clashes between protesters and security forces.

It all started after the Nepal government announced a ban on social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, citing the companies' failure to comply with a registration requirement.

The ban was lifted on Tuesday, 9 September, a day after the deadly protests. However, by then it was too late. A number of high-profile ministers had stepped down from Oli's Cabinet, necessitating his resignation as well.

A 'Gen-Z'-Led Anti-Corruption Revolution

The fatal protests began as an "anti-corruption movement" online, wherein youngsters started raising issues such as corruption, nepotism and abuse of governmental power on social media. Scores of users also slammed the open displays of affluence by the kin of politicians and public servants in Nepal.

A large number of youngsters participated in the discussions online, and issued calls for street marches and rallies. They also used social media platforms in a bid to "expose" government scams and deals.

It was around the same time that the government imposed a ban on popular social media platforms. While the latter cited the companies' failure to register themselves with the government, critics claimed the ban was an attempt to clamp down on free speech. The Oli government had denied the charge and instead cited misuse of social media platforms for spreading "disinformation".

What began online spilled onto the streets of Nepal on Monday, 8 September, when protesters clashed with security forces. Following the violence on Monday, protests intensified on Tuesday, 9 September, with homes of prominent politicians, including the private residence of KP Sharma Oli, being torched.

Stones were also pelted at the homes of former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba's residence in Budhanilkantha was also vandalised, as were offices of his party across the nation. Curfews were imposed in Kathmandu and several other districts.

A Frustrated Nation

In a way, the protests in Nepal hold a mirror to the discontent among the youth, which have been fed up with systems that allegedly protect the corrupt while silencing the outspoken. It's a system which has failed to provide safeguards on employment as well.

However, instead of backing down and accepting the ban on social media, the youth seems to have flipped the script, dodging the blackout with VPNs to spotlight alleged scandals.

This is not just rage—it is a bold reimagining of democracy. Nepal's Gen-Z isn't merely protesting, they're crafting a vision where connectivity becomes the ultimate check on power, short-circuiting corruption before it festers.

The protests were a culmination of many things. The issue of corruption and anger against the government is not new in Nepal. It is a chronic ache that's plagued the country for decades. More recently, in 2021, protests erupted against Oli's decision to dissolve Parliament amid allegations of cronyism and mishandling of the pandemic. Even in 2024, pro-monarchy rallies had propped up, blaming political parties for endless scandals and failed governance. Each time, the spark was similar: leaders enriching themselves while ordinary folks struggled. Now, in 2025, the issue has just become more amplified.

The social media ban was the tipping point, seen as a desperate gag on voices exposing everything—from embezzled aid funds to alleged shady infrastructure deals.

Nepal's political elite have cycled through power, promising change, but delivered the same old patronage networks. Take the recent ban: officials claimed it was about regulating fake news and fraud, but critics see it as shielding corrupt deals from scrutiny. TikTok videos have circulated clips of lavish lifestyles among ministers and their children, while hospitals lack basic facilities and the nation's youth are forced to move abroad due to lack of jobs.

The Young Leads the Charge

Nepal's youth are already sketching it out, and it's inspiring. They're not waiting for permission, they're building networks that demand transparency as a baseline. By leaning on VPNs and platforms like TikTok, they've kept the conversation alive, sharing purported evidence of graft in real-time and mobilising across districts.

This isn't chaotic venting—it's strategic. Groups are calling for independent anti-corruption bodies. Drawing from global peers, like Kenya's Gen Z tax protests or Bangladesh's student-led ouster of Sheikh Hasina, Nepali activists are weaving solidarity online, even under bans.

The solution lies in harnessing connectivity to foster accountability: mandatory digital disclosures for officials, citizen oversight apps, and reforms that punish corruption swiftly. This could reboot Nepal's system, making it resilient against the old guard.

The youth is showing us how, by turning blackouts into spotlights, they're forcing leaders to confront the rot. International support could amplify this—aid tied to transparency measures, tech training for activists. It's about evolving democracy, not overthrowing it. Ensuring power serves people, not pockets.

The government argues that the social media ban was necessary to curb misinformation and cybercrimes, pointing to how protests turned violent with vandalism and fires. Fair point—escalation can spiral, and dialogue beats destruction.

Yet, in the end, this moment calls for us to stand with Nepal's dreamers. The world, including its neighbour India, will now be watching as Oli's exit will likely lead to political turmoil internally. It happened in Bangladesh, it happened in Indonesia. Will the victory won by the youth against a government that didn't let them speak last? And if so, for how long?

These questions are for the future. For now, let their fight remind us that in the digital age, democracy is not static. It's a living circuit, powered by the connected and the courageous.

(Brabim Karki is an author and businessman based in Nepal. He tweets @brabim7. This is an opinion piece, and the views expressed are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)