As demonstrations continue to grip Nepal under the ‘Gen Z’ banner, Prime Minister KP Oli is reportedly preparing for a trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to media reports.
At the time of this article going live, his aide Prakash Silwal reportedly claimed that Oli has resigned. Vibes of India awaits further details of this.
Nepal Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak tendered his resignation during a cabinet meeting yesterday.
Earlier, 19 people were killed in violent protests over ‘corruption’ in which over 100 were injured, including security personnel.
Oli’s visit to the UAE is said to be for medical purposes, and Himalaya Airlines has allegedly been placed on standby.
He scheduled an emergency meeting to address the deepening unrest.
“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 pm today. I humbly request all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation,” Oli said in a letter, accessed by a certain section of the media.
The protests, which began on Monday, were sparked by a widely criticised ban on several social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X. The government lifted the ban following a wave of public outrage that resulted in the deaths of 19 people.
One report said that protestors flocked near Oli’s private residence in Balkot, seeking accountability for casualties.
An emergency cabinet meeting convened late Monday decided to revoke the ban, which had been in place since September 4. Authorities had initially justified the restrictions by accusing the platforms of failing to comply with registration requirements in Nepal.
Yet, new waves of protest were reported. Demonstrators called for anti-corruption measures and removal of social media restrictions.
The protesters shouted slogans such as “KP Chor, Desh Chhod”.
The Kathmandu District Administration Office declared a curfew within the Ring Road area. The curfew reportedly covers Balkumari Bridge, Koteshwar, Sinamangal, Gaushala, Chabahil, Narayan Gopal Chowk, Gongabu, Balaju, Swayambhu, Kalanki, Balkhu, and the Bagmati Bridge.
Oli addressed the nation late Monday, announcing the withdrawal of the ban but pointing fingers at unidentified “infiltrating” groups for the violence. He stopped short of accepting government responsibility for the bloodshed.
The protest movement operated under the name Gen-Z Nepal. It spiraled out of control as security forces opened fire on demonstrators attempting to breach the parliament building.
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