Author: Kamal Dev Bhattarai

When K. P. Sharma Oli’s government abruptly blocked 26 social media platforms on September 4, ministers called it “a technical regulation”. But it had a different impact on Nepal’s psyche. Within hours, encrypted Telegram groups and VPNs lit up with protest calls. Hashtags like #UnbanOurFuture spilled onto Nepal’s streets, where placards declared: “Social media banned, corruption open.” Like a bonfire, the Gen Z-led protests soon evolved into Nepal’s fiercest mobilisation since the 2006 pro-democracy movement. Fifty-two people, including one Indian national, were killed in clashes, leading to Oli’s ouster and the installation of an interim prime minister. The crucial question…

Kamal Dev Bhattarai This spring, Nepal witnessed a fresh wave of pro-monarchy demonstrations centered in Kathmandu, marking the most significant royalist mobilization since the country became a republic in 2008. The protests sparked a nationwide debate over monarchy versus republic, revealing a growing polarization in Nepali society. While royalist protests have occurred before, this time they generated greater momentum and media attention. For the first time, mainstream political parties began sensing a potential threat to the republican order. Khusbu Oli, a central committee member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the largest royalist party in Parliament, said public dissatisfaction with…