THE prime minister resigned following violent protests against a ban on social media platforms and government corruption.
Khadga Prasad Oli said he was stepping down immediately.
His resignation came after protesters set fire to the homes of some of Nepal’s top political leaders in opposition to a social media ban that was lifted early yesterday, a day after deadly anti-government protests when police opened fire and killed 19 people.
Local reports and videos shared on social media showed protesters attacking residences of the top political leaders in and around Kathmandu.
A curfew was imposed in the capital and other cities, and schools in Kathmandu were closed.
The houses set on fire included those of Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the largest party Nepali Congress, President Ram Chandra Poudel, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and leader of the Communist party of Nepal Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
A private school owned by Deuba’s wife Arzu Deuba Rana, who is the current foreign minister, was also set on fire.
The mass protest and attack on Parliament on Monday began as opposition to the ban on social media platforms but were fuelled by growing frustration and dissatisfaction against the political parties among the people who blame them for corruption.
“I am here to protest about the massive corruption in our country,” said Bishnu Thapa Chetri, a student.
“The country has gotten so bad that for us youths, there are no grounds for us to stay back in the country.”
“Our demand and desire is for peace and end to corruption so that people can actually work and live back in the country,” he said.
Several protests were reported yesterday despite the indefinite curfew in the capital.
“Punish the murders in government. Stop killing children,” the protesters chanted while police used loudspeakers urging them to return home.
“We are here to protest because our youths and friends are getting killed, we are here to seek that justice is done and the present regime is ousted. KP Oli should be chased away,” said Narayan Acharya, who was among the protesters outside the battered wall of the Parliament building yesterday.
Protester Durganah Dahal said they needed to protest the deaths caused by police acting on behalf of the prime minister’s government.
“As long as this government is in power, the people like us will continue to suffer,” Dahal said.
“They killed so many youths yesterday who had so much to look forward to; now they can easily kill us all. We protest until this government is finished.”
Several widely used social networks, including Facebook, X and YouTube, were blocked in the Himalayan nation last week after failing to comply with a new requirement to register and submit to government oversight.
Monday’s rallies against the ban swelled to tens of thousands of people in Kathmandu and crowds surrounded the Parliament building before police opened fire on the demonstrators.
Nineteen people were killed.
“Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media,” the crowds chanted, waving national flags.
Seven of those killed and scores of the wounded were received at the National Trauma Center, the country’s main hospital.
“Many of them are in serious condition and appear to have been shot in the head and chest,” said Dr Badri Risa.
Oli said in a statement he was forming an investigating committee to submit a report in 15 days and that compensation would be given for the lives lost and free treatment for the wounded. — AP
