Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli resigned Tuesday after violent protests erupted across the country in response to a government-imposed social media ban and mounting public anger over corruption.
The resignation came a day after police opened fire on demonstrators in Kathmandu, killing 19 people during mass rallies. Protesters vandalized and set fire to homes of senior political leaders, including President Ram Chandra Poudel, Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Communist Party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal. A school owned by Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana was also targeted.
Despite an indefinite curfew in the capital, demonstrations continued Tuesday. Protesters chanted slogans such as “Stop the murders in government” and “Stop corruption, not social media,” while calling for justice and the removal of Oli’s government.
Students and young demonstrators, many identifying with “Gen Z,” led the movement, saying corruption and lack of opportunity had left them with no future in the country. “Our demand is for peace and an end to corruption so that people can actually live and work in Nepal,” said protester Bishnu Thapa Chetri.
The unrest began after the government blocked several platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube, demanding companies register locally and submit to oversight. Rights groups condemned the move as censorship. While TikTok and a handful of other platforms complied, major companies including Google, Meta, and X did not respond to registration requests.
At least seven of those killed in the protests were treated at Kathmandu’s National Trauma Center, with doctors reporting many victims had been shot in the head and chest. Families gathered outside hospitals, and blood donation lines formed as dozens more were wounded.
In a statement before resigning, Oli announced compensation for victims’ families, free medical treatment for the injured, and the formation of an investigative committee to report within 15 days. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak also resigned during an emergency Cabinet session.
The proposed social media bill at the heart of the crisis would require platforms to establish offices in Nepal, appoint local representatives, and comply with strict content controls. Critics say the law undermines freedom of expression and democratic rights.
The resignation leaves Nepal facing renewed political uncertainty, as public frustration with corruption and governance intensifies.