Nepal’s PM Oli Calls Urgent All-Party Meeting Amid Deadly Protests and Resignations
In a bid to calm the rising tensions in Nepal, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has scheduled an all-party meeting for Tuesday evening. This comes after violent protests rocked the country, leaving 19 people dead and hundreds injured. The unrest has spread across Kathmandu Valley, forcing authorities to reimpose a strict curfew.
What started as a peaceful Gen Z movement against government corruption and a controversial social media ban quickly turned chaotic. On Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators defied security restrictions and marched toward the Parliament building. Angry crowds expressed outrage over the deaths from police firing the previous day, pelting stones at officers and even torching a traffic police booth. Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, but the clashes intensified as people tried to storm sensitive areas.
Local reports highlight how protesters targeted the homes of top political leaders. According to The Kathmandu Post, demonstrators set fire to the house of Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung. They hurled stones at the residence of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, and attacked former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s home. Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswo Paudel’s residence also came under fire. In Budhanilkantha, protesters attempted to reach former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s house but security personnel stopped them. Even opposition leader and CPN-MC chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s home faced stone-pelting.
The violence didn’t stay in Kathmandu—it spread to various districts, where homes of chief ministers, provincial ministers, and other leaders faced attacks despite beefed-up security. As the situation spiraled, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned, taking responsibility for the deadly crackdown that killed 19 people. In a surprise move, the government quietly lifted the social media ban that had sparked the youth-led Nepal protests in the first place, without any official announcement.
Adding to the turmoil, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ram Nath Adhikari also quit on Tuesday, blaming the government’s mishandling of the crisis. Sporadic protests continue in parts of Kathmandu Valley, leading local authorities to enforce curfews and ban public gatherings. With the political crisis deepening, all eyes are on the all-party meeting to see if leaders can find a way to restore peace in Nepal.
