Nepal's Search for Ideological Identity

Nepal's rulers have learned a harsh lesson. Power is fleeting when promises are broken and public trust squandered.

- PRABHU CHAWLA

A furious tide of young Nepalis, armed with the amplifying force of social media, has toppled yet another government, forcing Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign and flee amid violent protests. Fed up with corruption, nepotism, and a political elite that hoards wealth while the nation's economy crumbles, these tech-savvy youths have exposed the fragility of unchecked power.

In a country battered by political instability and economic paralysis for the past 16 years, the message is clear: leaders who betray the public risk being dethroned by the very voices they ignore. Violence becomes the ultimate voice for change. They replaced an elected government with a better, credible alternative: Sushila Karki, a former chief justice with a clean record, was sworn in as the first woman interim prime minister.

This is not a revolution with a clear purpose or a unified vision for the future. It is a raw, leaderless explosion of anger, a cry from a people tired of being betrayed by their leaders. The nation's ruling coalition crumbled under this pressure, with Oli himself not only resigning but reportedly fleeing to an unknown destination. The scenes were apocalyptic. Ministers were attacked and government buildings set ablaze. This unrest reflected a deeper malaise, a profound disillusionment with a political system that has seen 14 governments in 16 years, each more ineffective than the previous one. Nepal has been struggling to define itself after abandoning its monarchical past for a secular and socialist republic in 2008.

The roots of Nepal's crisis lie in its turbulent political history. The nation's transition from monarchy to republic was marked by bloodshed and betrayal. In 2001, the royal family was massacred in a shocking incident that saw Crown Prince Dipendra kill his own family. The tragedy plunged Nepal into a constitutional crisis, paving the way for King Gyanendra Shah to ascend the throne.