As Nepal’s Gen Z protests entered a second day on Tuesday, students leading the agitation renewed calls for the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, even as reports emerged that the Army Chief has asked him to step down.
Sources close to the Prime Minister told that Oli is considering leaving for Dubai under the pretext of medical treatment, with Himalaya Airlines kept on standby. Oli has already delegated acting responsibilities to his Deputy Prime Minister, as a string of Cabinet ministers continued to resign.
Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel has reportedly asked Oli to vacate office, while the Prime Minister called an all-party meeting at 6 p.m. to seek what he described as a “meaningful conclusion.”
In a letter released by his secretariat, Oli appealed for calm.
“I am in dialogue with the relevant parties to assess the situation and find a meaningful conclusion. For that, I have also called an all-party meeting at 6 p.m. today. I humbly request all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation,” the Prime Minister said.
Cabinet turmoil deepens
On Tuesday, Health Minister Pradeep Paudel became the third minister to resign in protest against the violent crackdown on demonstrators.
His resignation followed that of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari, both of whom stepped down on moral grounds after Monday’s clashes that killed at least 20 people and injured more than 300.
Politicians’ residences attacked
The unrest has spread to the private homes of top political leaders. Protesters stormed and set ablaze the residence of President Ramchandra Paudel, while the home of former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ was vandalised in Lalitpur.
Eyewitnesses said the residence of Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba was overrun before several vehicles inside the compound were torched.
Crowds also hurled stones at the home of Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung in Lalitpur, who had first announced the social media ban.
Also Read : Gen Z protests intensify, PM calls for all-party meet
Protests intensify despite rollback
The Oli government had late on Monday rolled back its sweeping ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and X, after an emergency Cabinet meeting.
The ban, widely condemned as authoritarian, had triggered massive demonstrations across Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa and Bharatpur.
On Tuesday, fresh protests erupted with students marching in the streets, chanting slogans such as “KP Chor, Desh Chhod” — meaning “Oli is a thief, quit the country” — while accusing leaders of shielding corrupt politicians.
Curfews and Army deployment
Authorities have imposed curfews in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur as the situation escalates. The Nepali Army was deployed on Monday to secure key roads around the Parliament complex in New Baneshwor after violence intensified.
Despite curfews and troop deployment, the demonstrations showed no sign of abating, leaving Oli’s political future increasingly uncertain.
Follow us
