Nepal protests: It’s Gen Z vs ‘nepo kids’

Ranju Darshana, a socio-political activist from Kathmandu, is anxious and furious. “Of course there is a lot of anger against the Nepo Kids. They flaunt their lavish lifestyle through their social media reels. Their swanky cars, posh bungalows, branded jewellery — everything seen on their posts. All of this while the ordinary Nepalese youth struggle to make ends meet, work 17 hours a day, try to find better employment opportunities. It is this outrage which burst onto the streets of Nepal. The Gen Z sought answers to corruption, to nepotism. But instead of addressing them, they pumped bullets in the chests of our little kids. How brutal could you be, to shoot at school kids in uniforms? 20 of our children died. How can people take this?” she asked.

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Ms. Ranju is based in Kathmandu, but is currently on a personal visit to California. Since the unrest broke in her country, she has been trying to prepone her return. “As soon as I get a ticket, I will be back home, with my people, in my land. I left just a few days ago, and am constantly in touch with everyone back home. Initially, the international media claimed that there was unrest against a ban on social media. That is not true. The GenZ protest was primarily against corruption and seeking accountability from the system. There was palpable anger against the Nepo kids,” she said.

Another youth from Kathmandu, who did not wish to be identified, claimed that anti-social elements entered the peaceful protests and caused violence. “We were only holding peaceful protests. Violence was not our intent. And yet, today, so many important buildings are burnt down. The President’s office, the houses of VIPs,” he said.

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“I had never seen Nepalese people get so violent in the past. This is shocking for me. But our people have been trying hard to find better means to survive,” said Ms. Ranju.

Meanwhile, a young woman journalist working with a State broadcasting radio channel recounted her horror of being stuck in the office in the VIP area where other buildings were set abalze. She, along with her colleagues, survived after being rescued by the Army.

Speaking of the fire at Singha Durbar, Yashoda Adhikari, reporter at Radio Nepal, the public service broadcaster of Nepal, said, “We were completely surrounded by fire, and it felt like we wouldn’t survive. The smoke was suffocating. After the Army opened the gate, we were able to escape. We ran, jumped, and finally got out safely. For some time, the flames were coming closer, and the sound of gas cylinders and generators could be heard. The smoke was so thick that it was hard to breathe. We had to hide ourselves. A moment later, we were able to contact the Army and the chief of security.”

‘This is a national movement now, not just Gen Z’: Nepali protester

When asked about the situation on Wednesday (September 10, 2025), she said, “Across the country, government offices, police offices, business establishments, leaders’ residences, Ministers’ houses, courts, commissions, and large companies have all been destroyed by fire. The main Singha Durbar is still burning. The Prime Minister, President, Ministers, and senior party leaders are hiding somewhere — there is no contact or information about their whereabouts. In some places, the fire is still spreading, but no one has come to extinguish it. The Army is deployed on the streets, and security is very tight. Media houses have also been attacked, though journalists are still arriving on the streets.”