It had only been a year since Bangladesh’s strong, deep-rooted nationalist regime was toppled when we saw a revolt in Nepal. The revolt is touted as a Gen Z revolution, where the youth led the movement. It was a leaderless, horizontal movement that resulted in the resignation of the then-prime minister and other cabinet ministers. It was a deadly revolt that led to 19 casualties and left hundreds injured.
As it is said, revolutions happen, and they are not engineered; that was the case in Nepal, where, in a matter of days, the government collapsed. But it is also a reality that the success of a revolution is gauged in years down the line.
The army has taken hold of affairs, and ex-Chief Justice Sushila Karki is being suggested by the protesters as their choice of Prime Minister in the interim government, at the time this piece was written.
Gen Z, who are usually considered fickle and confused, have come out to the streets demanding systemic change.
What sparked the revolt was a ban on 26 social media platforms, but the underlying reasons are the lavish lifestyles of the aristocracy and politicians, corruption, and governance mismanagement. The youth rose, and the pent-up frustration found a release in the form of protests that led to arson attacks on government buildings as well.
One commonality in Bangladesh and Nepal was that the youth in their early 20s revolted. No organised party was behind it, and there was no external intervention involved. Another important point to be noted is that in both countries, the powerful army didn’t take control, and a democratic setup was in place. Perhaps this is the reason behind the success of the faceless young leadership’s uprising.
Particularly in Nepal, the youth movement has to cross a long distance towards real change in the system. Maybe, for the time being, the strong Maoists have been brushed under the carpet, but the first challenge for the protestors will be to organise themselves and also provide an agenda which attracts the 30 million populace of Nepal.
A lot of questions arise. Is the revolt based on a specific ideology, or is it just issue-based? Will the young blood be able to sustain the momentum and remain peaceful? Will those who come to power be able to garner votes in elections when they take place?
It is an old saying that to revolt is easy, but to rule is a herculean task.
Change of this magnitude is a far cry in Pakistan since the political elite and establishment have the shadow of the past British Raj.
