Demand for Prime Minister's Resignation in Turbulent Nepal

Nepal's opposition party, Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and early elections amid widespread student and public protests rocking the country. RSP General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti made this demand in a statement on Monday.

In the statement, Burlakoti said, “These protests have proven that the coalition between the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has completely failed to govern the country. This government has already lost the people's trust. We demand the immediate resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and early elections.”

He further added, “We also demand that the judiciary form a high-level investigation commission to probe the killings during these protests and the corruption that has occurred since this government came to power. We demand the arrest and trial of the Home Minister and those associated with the ministry responsible for the shooting and killing of students and the public.” Last year, Nepal's Supreme Court directed all active social media platforms to register officially with the government. Based on a High Court directive, the government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli set a deadline from August 28 to September 3 for active social media platforms in the country to register. However, even after the deadline passed without official registration, the government imposed a ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. This ban came into effect on September 4. Meanwhile, this government ban has widely angered students from schools, colleges, and universities, as well as the young generation in the country. Known as Gen Z, this young generation had been preparing for protests against the government's ban since September 4. The movement finally began yesterday, Sunday, and today, Monday, it has turned truly turbulent. In the capital Kathmandu, students and the public have defied curfew to take to the streets in protest. While the initial main demand was the withdrawal of the ban on social media apps, it has now largely transformed into a full-fledged anti-government movement. In areas like Baneshwor in Kathmandu and elsewhere, at least 20 people have been killed so far due to firing by law enforcement forces, with many more injured. Nepal's Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has already resigned. Now, demands for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's resignation have also emerged.