September 8 and 9 marked two of the darkest days in Nepal’s modern political history, which saw a Gen Z-led movement against corruption quickly turn into an unprecedented catastrophe.

The government’s crackdown that left 19 protesters dead on the first day led to escalated protests on the second. Rampaging mobs vandalised businesses, attacked leaders, torched their houses and set ablaze some of the most important public offices, including Parliament and the Supreme Court. Thousands escaped prisons from across the country.

By the end of the second day of protests, Nepal was not just under a massive political vacuum, but also under a state of lawlessness, causing widespread uncertainty about the country’s future. Marking an end to yet another revolution in Nepal, being referred to as ‘Jana Andolan-III’ by many, on September 12, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed as the interim head of the government and the President called for elections on March 5, 2026.

Although this is not the first instance of Nepali youth influencing the country’s political trajectory through protests, the 2025 movement featured some stark differences: spontaneity, lack of leaders and digital-age energy. To make sense of how Nepal arrived at this crucial juncture, one needs to look into its cyclical history of popular movements and where the 2025 revolution fits.

Nepal has gone through a series of unfinished revolutions, which........

© Indian Express