Nepal’s Youth Rise Against a Digital Gag Order
A sudden social media blackout lit the fuse. But the youth revolt shaking Kathmandu runs far deeper, fueled by years of corruption, joblessness, and a democracy hijacked by its former revolutionaries.
Nepal’s current crisis stems from a republic born of revolution, now governed by former revolutionaries who speak the language of the poor while presiding over elite capture.(Subaas Shrestha / NurPhoto)
KATHMANDU, Nepal — On September 4, Nepal’s government abruptly banned all major social media platforms, claiming they were spreading “anti-national disinformation.” Within hours, Kathmandu’s streets began to swell with anger. Young Nepalis took to the roads, protesting not just the blackout, but decades of broken promises from the political parties that once led the country’s revolution.
Once hailed as liberators, today’s leaders preside over corruption, cronyism, and a republic that fails its youth.
Police in riot gear confronted protesters almost immediately. Helmets wet from water cannons clattered to the ground as officers charged into the crowds, scattering students, gig workers, coders, and unemployed graduates. Hundreds of young protesters, their T-shirts drenched and their faces hidden by scarves, crouched behind overturned trash cans.
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