The Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Sharma Oli, resigned on Tuesday, according to his assistant, as anti-corruption protesters violated an indefinite curfew and clashed with police, following violent demonstrations that resulted in 19 fatalities due to a social media ban.
The administration of Oli rescinded the social media ban following violent protests that resulted in 19 fatalities and over 100 injuries, as police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators attempting to breach parliament on Monday.
The turmoil is the most severe in decades in the impoverished Himalayan nation situated between India and China, which has faced political instability and economic uncertainty since protests resulted in the dissolution of its monarchy in 2008.
“The Prime Minister has resigned,” stated Oli’s adviser Prakash Silwal to Reuters, a decision that immerses the nation in further political instability.
On Tuesday, Oli convened a conference with all political parties, asserting that violence is detrimental to the nation and emphasizing the need for peaceful dialogue to resolve any issues.
However, resentment towards the administration showed no signs of diminishing, as demonstrators congregated in front of parliament and at various locations in the city of Kathmandu, in defiance of an indefinite curfew enforced by the police.
The demonstrators ignited tires on several roads, hurled stones at law enforcement in riot gear, and pursued them into tiny alleys. In contrast, others recorded the confrontations on their mobile devices as dense black smoke ascended into the atmosphere.
Numerous individuals from various cities next to the India-Nepal border commenced a march towards Kathmandu to express solidarity with the protesters, as conveyed to Reuters by telephone by one of the demonstrators.
Witnesses stated that demonstrators were igniting the residences of certain politicians in Kathmandu, and local media indicated that certain ministers were evacuated by military aircraft.
Reuters was unable to authenticate the information promptly.
“We remain here for our future…” “We desire a corruption-free nation to ensure universal access to education, healthcare facilities, and a promising future,” demonstrator Robin Sreshtha informed Reuters TV.
The arrival of aircraft from the southern direction at Kathmandu airport, Nepal’s primary international gateway, was suspended due to reduced visibility caused by smoke from fires ignited by adjacent demonstrators, according to aviation authority spokesman Gyanendra Bhul.
The organizers of the protests, which have spread to other towns in the Himalayan nation, have characterized them as “demonstrations by Gen Z,” motivated by widespread discontent among young people with the government’s perceived inaction in addressing corruption and improving economic prospects.
