Nepal protests: After Home Minister, two more ministers resign amid unrest

Security forces had opened fire on demonstrators on Monday in Kathmandu and Itahari, leaving at least 19 dead and hundreds injured, making it the deadliest crackdown on civilian protests in recent years. (AFP)

After Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak stepped down over the deadly crackdown on Gen Z protests, Nepal’s Agriculture Minister Ram Nath Adhikari resigned on Tuesday, condemning the government’s use of force that killed 19 people across Kathmandu and other parts of the country.

Aligned with the Shekhar Koirala faction of the Nepali Congress, Adhikari cited the government’s “authoritarian response” during Monday’s demonstrations in his resignation letter, saying the state had “responded with widespread suppression, killings, and use of force, moving the country towards authoritarianism rather than democracy,” according to the Kathmandu Post.

Following him, Pradip Paudel, the Health Minister in the Oli government, also resigned, marking the third ministerial exit amid escalating tensions over the social media ban.

Youth protesters began gathering spontaneously outside the Parliament area in New Baneshwar on Tuesday morning, defying curfew orders. Demonstrators carried no banners but voiced opposition to alleged government corruption and demanded Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation.

One participant told the Kathmandu Post, “Yesterday’s incident exposed the government’s failure. I came here to stand with the youths.”

Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew across Kathmandu’s Ring Road area and in Lalitpur, hours after an earlier order expired. Roads outside the Parliament and in Kalanki were blocked by protesters.

Security forces had opened fire on demonstrators on Monday in Kathmandu and Itahari, leaving at least 19 dead and hundreds injured, making it the deadliest crackdown on civilian protests in recent years.

Prime Minister Oli announced on Monday evening that the social media ban has been lifted, blaming “infiltration by various vested interest groups” for the violence. He said the government would set up a panel to investigate the protests and provide financial relief and medical aid to those affected.