Nepal protests: The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday advised Indians to exercise caution and adhere to the steps and guidelines issued by Nepali authorities. This comes a day after protests over a ban on major social media platforms in the neighbouring country killed at least 19 people.
"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 families of deceased. We also wish speedy recovery for those who were injured."
The ministry said, as a close friend and neighbour, "We hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue."
"We have also taken note that authorities have imposed curfew in Kathmandu and several other cities of Nepal. Indian nationals in Nepal are advised to exercise caution and adhere to the steps and guidelines issued by the Nepali authorities."
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In the latest round of developments, Nepal's government has retreated from its ban. By Tuesday morning, all 26 of the platforms that the government blocked last week, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and WeChat, were back online. But protesters were back on the street despite a curfew, demanding that government officials be punished and replaced.
The protests, which were fueled by anger over corruption and a weak economy as well as the social media ban, have been the most widespread in Nepal's recent history. The security forces' violent response has only added to the pressure on the government. Opposition parties and some members of the governing coalition have called for Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.
The demonstrators, who appeared to be mostly teenagers and young adults, have embraced the label "Gen Z protest." A Nepalese official acknowledged their youth in disclosing that the government would retreat from its move against more than two dozen social media platforms.
"To address the demands raised by Gen Z, a social media ban will be lifted," Prithvi Subba Gurung, minister for communication and information technology, said in an interview with The New York Times late Monday.
The ban went into effect Thursday for platforms that officials said had failed to comply with new requirements to register with the government.
It was not just the social media ban that sent protesters spilling into the streets of the capital and around Nepal. Outrage has also been growing over economic inequality and what many Nepalese see as the government's failure to aggressively pursue high-profile corruption cases.
Local news media reported that at least 400 people have been injured in the unrest.
As protesters in Kathmandu clashed with law enforcement officers, authorities forbade gatherings in the area around the parliament complex. The demonstrations continued, however, with protesters blocking highways as troops and paramilitary forces deployed by the government struggled to control the crowds.
Oli held an emergency Cabinet meeting Monday at which the home affairs minister said he would resign.
Mr. Gurung suggested that the protests had been infiltrated, exacerbating tensions, without naming anyone or any group. He said an investigation was underway.
Some in Nepal have suggested that supporters of the monarchy, which was abolished in 2008, may have helped foment the unrest. Protests in March demanding restoration of royal rule led to at least two deaths. But the demonstrations Monday were far larger.
"This may be the most violent social and political unrest in modern Nepal," said Professor Jeevan Sharma, chair of South Asia and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, who is in Nepal conducting research.
Sharma said the social media ban had created "overwhelming anger" and had "curtailed democratic space and freedom of expression."
The protests spread to other parts of Nepal, including Pokhara in the country's center, the Chitwan district in the southwest and Janakpur, southeast of the capital.
In Kathmandu, eight people died after being taken to the National Trauma Center, according to Dipendra Pandey, a doctor there. At Kathmandu Medical College, two others died, and 28 others arrived with injuries, according to another doctor, Bibek Limbu. Three people from the protests died at Civil Service Hospital, according to its executive director, Dr. Mohan Chandra Regmi.
"Our emergency ward is overloaded," Regmi said.
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"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 families of deceased. We also wish speedy recovery for those who were injured."
The ministry said, as a close friend and neighbour, "We hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue."
"We have also taken note that authorities have imposed curfew in Kathmandu and several other cities of Nepal. Indian nationals in Nepal are advised to exercise caution and adhere to the steps and guidelines issued by the Nepali authorities."
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
In the latest round of developments, Nepal's government has retreated from its ban. By Tuesday morning, all 26 of the platforms that the government blocked last week, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and WeChat, were back online. But protesters were back on the street despite a curfew, demanding that government officials be punished and replaced.
The protests, which were fueled by anger over corruption and a weak economy as well as the social media ban, have been the most widespread in Nepal's recent history. The security forces' violent response has only added to the pressure on the government. Opposition parties and some members of the governing coalition have called for Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.
In the capital, Kathmandu, protesters surged toward the parliament complex Monday, occupying a security post before being dispersed by police, according to witnesses. It was not immediately clear how those who died were killed, or how hundreds of others were wounded, but witnesses said authorities had used live ammunition against the crowd, in addition to rubber bullets and water cannons.
The demonstrators, who appeared to be mostly teenagers and young adults, have embraced the label "Gen Z protest." A Nepalese official acknowledged their youth in disclosing that the government would retreat from its move against more than two dozen social media platforms.
"To address the demands raised by Gen Z, a social media ban will be lifted," Prithvi Subba Gurung, minister for communication and information technology, said in an interview with The New York Times late Monday.
The ban went into effect Thursday for platforms that officials said had failed to comply with new requirements to register with the government.
It was not just the social media ban that sent protesters spilling into the streets of the capital and around Nepal. Outrage has also been growing over economic inequality and what many Nepalese see as the government's failure to aggressively pursue high-profile corruption cases.
Local news media reported that at least 400 people have been injured in the unrest.
As protesters in Kathmandu clashed with law enforcement officers, authorities forbade gatherings in the area around the parliament complex. The demonstrations continued, however, with protesters blocking highways as troops and paramilitary forces deployed by the government struggled to control the crowds.
Oli held an emergency Cabinet meeting Monday at which the home affairs minister said he would resign.
Mr. Gurung suggested that the protests had been infiltrated, exacerbating tensions, without naming anyone or any group. He said an investigation was underway.
Some in Nepal have suggested that supporters of the monarchy, which was abolished in 2008, may have helped foment the unrest. Protests in March demanding restoration of royal rule led to at least two deaths. But the demonstrations Monday were far larger.
"This may be the most violent social and political unrest in modern Nepal," said Professor Jeevan Sharma, chair of South Asia and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, who is in Nepal conducting research.
Sharma said the social media ban had created "overwhelming anger" and had "curtailed democratic space and freedom of expression."
The protests spread to other parts of Nepal, including Pokhara in the country's center, the Chitwan district in the southwest and Janakpur, southeast of the capital.
In Kathmandu, eight people died after being taken to the National Trauma Center, according to Dipendra Pandey, a doctor there. At Kathmandu Medical College, two others died, and 28 others arrived with injuries, according to another doctor, Bibek Limbu. Three people from the protests died at Civil Service Hospital, according to its executive director, Dr. Mohan Chandra Regmi.
"Our emergency ward is overloaded," Regmi said.
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