Troubled transition: On the Nepal protests and after

Nepal has entered a turbulent phase after violent protests, which left 74 dead, led to the unconstitutional dissolution of Parliament and the installation of an interim government under former jurist Sushila Karki until 2026 elections. While the Gen Z protesters had genuine grievances such as corruption, poor governance, and social media bans, their violent actions — burning Parliament and the Supreme Court — destroyed vital documents and attacked core democratic institutions built since the 2015 Constitution.

The Hindu editorial on 19/09/2025 stresses that the interim government must ensure justice for these crimes, as legitimising mob violence risks weakening Nepal’s hard-won republican order after the civil war and monarchy’s end. Protesters’ reliance on unaccountable online forums like Discord shows their immaturity and lack of representation of Nepal’s diverse society. At the same time, mainstream leaders’ failures — Oli, Deuba, and Dahal’s entrenched dominance — cannot justify discrediting democracy itself.

The crisis should push political parties to bring in fresh leadership, but the interim government’s primary duty is to safeguard institutions, uphold constitutional achievements, and ensure free and fair elections — the only way to secure Nepal’s democratic and republican future.