The Tamesis
December 24, 2025
kathmandu – The “Gari Khana Deu” movement led by Generation Z representative Miraj Dhungana staged a protest in Maitigal on Monday, although the district administration refused to allow them to do so citing procedural requirements. As a result, security forces immediately dispersed the protesters who started gathering in Maitigal area. Protesters clashed with police and later with reporters.
Even after the successful Gen Z rebellion, calls for renewed protests have remained high over the past three months, with several groups including Sultan Gurung-led Hami Nepal and Gen Z Supporting the Monarchy holding protests and calling for more protests. The agendas of these protests vary. Gurung was apparently unhappy with the appointment of Om Prakash Ayyal as home minister. Dugana called for an all-party government that would also include representatives of Generation Z. Royalist Gen Z groups have called for the restoration of the monarchy, while several groups remain stuck on the agenda of directly electing the chief executive.
None of these agendas are conducive to the March 5 elections, which are the only way out of the current political crisis. Gurung’s request for the home minister’s resignation appears to be based on personal grudges. He clearly still fails to distinguish between personal interests and national interests. Dugana’s call for a cross-party government would delay the vote because a new transitional government would have to operate from scratch. Provisions for the restoration of the monarchy or the direct election of a chief executive would be contrary to the mandate of the people if these agendas were to be enforced by circumventing the vote.
Representatives of Generation Z have deviated from the original line of good governance and anti-corruption and entered the field of power. Each group seeks greater influence in national politics. They have begun to expand their organization, establishing structures at the provincial and regional levels. It also makes sense that they would delay elections in order to strengthen their organization and create strong competition with mainstream parties with established organizations. However, such a delay in holding the vote would plunge the country into further chaos. The CPN-UML and even a majority of the Nepali Congress now want the House to be restored if the March 5 elections fail to materialize. If the House is indeed restored, it would be a major setback for the Gen Z rebellion, which played a crucial role in the dissolution of the House by invalidating its mandate. It will also open a new Pandora’s box.
Again, there are no reliable options for timely polling. Calls for action against individuals involved in the killing of unarmed teenagers on September 8th are a real issue that needs to be addressed. But Gen Z, who are calling for the investigation to end before the election, seem to have forgotten that justice cannot be rushed. Their calls for a failed inquiry would be more credible if the Karki government abandoned its investigative agenda – but the investigative team it has assembled continues to call witnesses and record their testimonies on an almost daily basis.
Gen Z representatives from all different groups must realize that the more obstacles they create to timely voting, the more they push the country into uncertainty. While the right to protest should not be taken away, Gen Z groups must get their priorities right and help the interim government create the right environment for timely voting – which will, in fact, be a meaningful first step towards building the corruption-free and accountable country they envision.
