Nepal Gen Z protest: Protestors vandalise President's house, Oli govt withdraws social media ban -- Top developments so far

Despite the KP Sharma Oli government announcing that it had lifted the ban on social media platforms, protests continued to rock Nepal for the second consecutive day on Tuesday. The Nepalese government had ordered the ban of 26 social media sites, including Facebook and ‘X’, over their failure to register with the government.

The protestors demanded KP Sharma Oli's ouster and the government's dismissal. At least 20 people were killed on Monday and more than 250 were injured. 

Nepal Gen Z protests: Top developments so far

1. Protestors stormed and vandalised the Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel's Private Residence and set it on fire. A total of 21 MPs from the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) have decided to resign en masse. 
2. Protestors have been mobilising through the Discord app to coordinate their actions. 
3. India on Tuesday expressed concern over the unrest in Nepal that has left at least 20 people dead, urging all sides to exercise restraint and resolve differences through peaceful dialogue. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) advised Indian nationals in Nepal to exercise caution and follow local guidelines. 
4. “We are closely monitoring the developments in Nepal since yesterday and are deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased. We also wish speedy recovery for those who were injured," the MEA said in a statement. 
5. Reaffirming India's position, the statement said: “As a close friend and neighbour, we hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue.”
6. Following violent youth protests, the Nepalese government withdrew its previous decision to ban social media sites on Tuesday. 
7. Nepal Minister for Communication, Information and Broadcasting Prithvi Subba Gurung said that the Ministry has ordered concerned agencies to resume the social media sites according to the demands of 'Gen Z', which led a massive protest in front of the Parliament in Kathmandu. 
8. He also requested the protesting group to withdraw their protest programme. 
9. Social media sites such as Facebook, 'X' and WhatsApp have come back into operation from Monday night.
10. The protests on Monday turned violent when some protesters entered the Parliament complex, prompting police to use water cannons, tear gas, and live rounds to disperse crowds, eyewitnesses said.