Nepal Unrest: Death Toll 31, Interim Govt Talks On

Kathmandu: The Gen Z group, which spearheaded the anti-government protests in Nepal on Thursday said that Parliament must be dissolved and the Constitution amended to reflect the will of the people, as the death toll increased to 34. The Gen Z protesters organised a press meet here to express their views, while some of them were busy holding discussions with President Ram Chandra Poudel Army chief Gen. Ashok Raj Sigdel at the Army Headquarters to find a solution to the current political crisis.

Curfew was, meanwhile, reimposed in Kathmandu and several other areas till 6 am on Friday after a brief two-hour period when it was lifted, amid fears of escalating violence.

The Gen Z activists stressed the need to find a solution through dialogue and cooperation. Diwakar Dangal, Amit Baniya and Junal Dangal, the Gen Z representatives, were among those who spoke at the meeting.

Some of the activists expressed support for former Chief Justice Sushila Karki for interim Prime Minister, while others pitched for former Nepal Electricity Authority CEO Kulman Ghising, who is widely credited with ending “load-shedding” across Nepal, which used to see power cuts up to 18 hours a day. A Jamshedpur-trained electrical engineer, the 54-year-old Mr Ghising is the preferred choice of many who reject Ms Karki, 73, on grounds of age. Mr Ghising was recently sacked by the K.P. Sharma Oli government four months before his term was to end. Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, another potential candidate, has announced his support for Ms Karki. The former Chief Justice has, meanwhile, expressed her readiness to lead.

Some Gen Z activists said they don’t intend to assume leadership of the country, but remain as watchdogs. “We will not participate in the government, but rather we want to remain as a watchdog”, one of them said. They warned the old political parties not to use them for their vested interests. “This is purely a civilian movement, so don't try to play politics with this,” one activist said.

Another activist said Parliament must be dissolved and the Constitution amended as per the spirit of the people. “We don’t intend to scrap the Constitution, but we want some major amendments to include the people's concerns,” he said.

Nepal’s health ministry said that 34 people have died so far in the protests held on Monday and Tuesday. It added that 1,338 individuals are being treated at hospitals across the country, while 949 have already been discharged.

Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli quit on Tuesday shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation for the death of at least 19 people in police action during Monday’s protests over corruption and a social media ban. The ban on the social media was lifted Monday night.

President Poudel has accepted Prime Minister Oli’s resignation but stated that the Cabinet led by him will continue to run the government until a new council of ministers is formed.