Stripping politicians, kicking and hurting them, burning their houses, and whatnot!? The question is, what next for Nepal which was just finding its feet as a federal democratic republic since 2008. The point is, do they understand that democracy ain’t always perfect!?

The shocking images from the streets of Kathmandu in recent days tell a story more disturbing than any routine protest.

Leaders dragged, humiliated, stripped of dignity in public squares. Residences of the powerful set ablaze, buildings torched, and ordinary neighbourhoods suddenly filled with angry mobs- especial 'Gen Zs'!

The curfew that followed and the resignation of the prime minister only confirmed that something far deeper than anger over policies was at play.

For a nation that dismantled its centuries-old monarchy in 2008 and sought to anchor itself with a progressive constitution in 2015, this descent into violence is not merely a political crisis. It is an existential question: has Nepal truly understood what democracy entails?

The Seeds Of Rage

The protests did not erupt overnight. They were the product of years of disillusionment.

Since 2008, Nepal’s citizens have endured one unstable coalition after another, each more focused on dividing ministries and rewards than delivering on promises of jobs, justice, or development.

Corruption scandals piled up, infrastructure lagged, and the democratic institutions that were supposed to provide stability looked increasingly hollow.

For ordinary people — particularly the youth — democracy began to feel like an elite arrangement.

The republic that was meant to empower them seemed instead to enrich a small circle of politicians. That discontent simmered for years. And then, suddenly, it found a face.

The “Nepo-Kid” Flashpoint

What turned smouldering frustration into open rage was the daily spectacle of privilege. Videos and images of politicians’ children — the so-called “nepo kids” — living extravagantly flooded social media.

Expensive foreign cars, luxury holidays, international schooling, high-end fashion: the gap between rulers’ families and ordinary Nepalis could not have been more stark.

For the young in particular, who make up the majority of Nepal’s population, this was not just offensive; it was intolerable.

Many of them struggle for basic employment, or leave the country altogether to work in Gulf states, Malaysia, or India under punishing conditions.

Remittances now keep Nepal’s economy afloat, yet the very generation sustaining the nation’s finances is forced to watch the political class and their children flaunt obscene privilege.

The “nepo kid” label thus became more than a slogan — it was a symbol of betrayal. A republic that promised to dismantle hierarchy had simply replaced royal dynasties with political ones.

Democracy was supposed to level the playing field; instead, it felt like the same feudalism in designer clothes. And once that symbolism took root, it provided the moral justification — at least in the eyes of protesters — for the rage that followed.

The Social Media Miscalculation

Into this cauldron of resentment, the government tossed fuel: a sudden ban on social media platforms. Authorities insisted it was about regulation, but to the public it looked like a deliberate attempt to silence criticism.

For a generation that organises, debates, and mobilises online, the ban felt like an outright assault on their voice.

Rather than weakening the movement, the blackout radicalised it. Protesters poured into the streets, angrier and more determined, seeing the ban as proof that leaders had no interest in listening.

When security forces responded with live ammunition, killing demonstrators, anger hardened into fury. Soon, the protests no longer targeted policies but the very political class itself — hence the assaults, the arson, and the imagery of a republic tearing at its seams.

Democracy’s Dark Moment

Here lies the paradox: democracy is never neat. It is slow, frustrating, and often deeply imperfect. But its very imperfection is what protects societies from collapse into tyranny. When mobs strip politicians in public or torch their homes, the democratic fabric is shredded — not strengthened.

Yes, the anger against corruption and nepotism is justified. Yes, the social media ban was reckless. But violence risks delegitimising the grievances it seeks to highlight. Once people accept that street justice is more effective than ballots, democracy becomes not a promise but a casualty.

The Temptation Of Conspiracy

And then comes the easy scapegoat: the foreign hand. Whispers grew of a CIA plot, of colour revolutions designed to punish Nepal for leaning too close to China. Such claims make for dramatic headlines, but credible evidence is absent. What is visible is domestic — corruption, inequality, dynastic privilege, and censorship.

Blaming outsiders is politically convenient. It shifts responsibility away from Nepal’s elites and turns a homegrown crisis into a foreign conspiracy. But indulging such theories only delays the reforms that Nepal urgently needs.

What Next?

Accountability On Both Sides: Violence by protesters and excesses by security forces both require impartial investigation. No republic can survive impunity.

Break The Dynasties: The “nepo kid” anger won’t fade unless parties reform themselves, enforce asset declarations, and end hereditary politics.

Deliver Youth Opportunities: Creating dignified jobs at home is essential. A democracy that exports its youth as cheap labour cannot sustain legitimacy.

Protect Digital Space: Social media is not an enemy; it is a civic lifeline. To sever it again would be to invite another inferno.

A Republic On Trial

Nepal’s young republic has reached its most dangerous test since the monarchy fell. What began as anger over corruption and censorship has escalated into violence that threatens the very idea of democracy. The sight of stripped politicians and burning homes should not be remembered only as chaos — they should be remembered as warning.

If Nepal’s leaders acknowledge this warning, reform their parties, and deliver dignity to the young, the republic can still heal.

If not, the fires in Kathmandu will be remembered not as a turning point but as the moment when democracy itself began to burn.

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