The youth held violent demonstrations in Nepal on Monday against the ban imposed by the government on social media sites, in which at least 19 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured in the use of police force. Meanwhile, Home Minister Ramesh writer had to resign due to the situation.
The Nepali army has been deployed in the capital after the situation deteriorated. Army soldiers have controlled the roads around the Parliament complex in New Baneshwar.
Earlier, thousands of youth, including school students under the banner of Generation Z, staged a massive protest in front of Parliament in the middle of Kathmandu and raised anti -government slogans demanding immediate removal of the ban.
Eyewitnesses said the protest became violent when some protesters entered the Parliament complex, after which the police had to use water showers, tear gas and bullets to disperse the mob.
Nepal Police spokesman Binod Ghimire said 17 people were killed in clashes in various parts of Kathmandu during the rally and two protesters were killed in police firing in Sunsari district of East Nepal. The protest spread to Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahwa, Bharatpur, Itahari and Damk.
Sources in the Nepali Congress said that the Home Minister Ramesh writer representing the Nepali Congress party in the coalition government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on a moral ground after a fatal clashes.
According to a minister involved in the meeting, he submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Oli in the cabinet meeting held in the Prime Minister’s residence, Baluvatar in the evening. Quoting hospital officials, Kathmandu Post Newspaper said that eight people were killed in the National Trauma Center, three in Everest Hospital, three in Civil Hospital, two in Kathmandu Medical College and one in Tribhuvan Teaching Hospital.
स्वास्थ्य मंत्रालय का हवाला देते हुए अखबार ने कहा कि देश भर के अस्पताल कम से कम 347 घायल प्रदर्शनकारियों का इलाज कर रहे हैं – सिविल अस्पताल 100, ट्रॉमा सेंटर 59, एवरेस्ट 102, केएमसी 37, बीर अस्पताल छह, पाटन अस्पताल चार, त्रिभुवन टीचिंग 18, नॉरविक तीन, बीपी कोइराला इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ हेल्थ साइंसेज दो, गंडकी मेडिकल कॉलेज एक, बीरट मेडिकल कॉलेज चार और दमक अस्पताल सात।
The Himalayan Times newspaper said that hospitals including civil hospitals and trauma centers are struggling to keep patients and have started referring them for other facilities.
After the violence, the local administration imposed curfew in several parts of the capital. Apart from Kathmandu, curfew orders were also issued at Lalitpur district, Pokhara, Butwal and Itahari in Sunsarai district.
Chief District Officer Chhabi Lal Rizal said in a notice, “The movement, demonstration, meeting, meeting or dharna of people in the restricted area will not be allowed.”
The local administration later extended the restrictive order to various areas around Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vice President’s residence and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The government on Thursday banned 26 social media sites including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube, as they failed to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology within the stipulated time.
However, the government has clarified its stand that social media sites were banned to bring them under control. But the general perception among the general public is that it will attack freedom of expression and can bring censorship.
Prime Minister Oli said on Sunday that his government would “always oppose discrepancies and ego, and will never accept any work that weakens the nation”.
The Prime Minister said that the party is not against social media, “But what cannot be tolerated is that those who are doing business in Nepal, earning money, and still not following the law.” Referring to the criticism on the move, he called the protesters and agitators “puppets” which only protest for protest.
On Sunday, dozens of journalists protested at the Maitighar Mandla in the middle of Kathmandu protesting the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms.
In addition, Nepal Computer Association (CAN) said in a statement that closing important platforms like Facebook, X and YouTube simultaneously could have a serious impact on education, business, communication and daily life of common citizens.
CAN president Sunaina Ghimire said, “The government’s move has also posed a threat to Nepal’s digital trailing from the world.” He said that adequate discussion should be held with stakeholders to find practical solutions.
Another group of youth, which launched a campaign called “Napo Kid” on various social media platforms, also joined the protests.
In recent times, the “Napo Kid” trend has been going viral on social media, accusing children of young politicians and influential people of “gaining privileges from money earned from corruption”.
