Nepal's youth take to the streets again: Anger over unemployment !

Demand for Prime Minister Balen Shah's resignation

Demonstration against Prime Minister Balen Shah government

Kathmandu (Nepal) – Young people in the country have once again begun protesting against the government. Over the past three days, three young men attempted self-immolation by pouring petrol over themselves. Two of them died during treatment, while the third has been admitted to hospital with severe burn injuries. The demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah, who has failed to resolve the problem of unemployment, has intensified. Against this backdrop, the opposition Nepali Congress has accused the government of failing to instil hope and confidence among the youth.

1. The protesters have accused Prime Minister Balen Shah of running the government in an anti-people and authoritarian manner. According to the organisation, no concrete steps have been taken in the budget or policy to increase employment and income opportunities for the youth.

2. These recurring incidents in Nepal have raised serious questions about the mental condition of the youth, unemployment, and government policies. Political parties and social organisations have said that if the government does not take effective measures soon, the agitation could intensify further.

Memories of the 2025 agitation

As young people have once again taken to the streets, memories of the anti-government agitation carried out by the youth in September 2025 have resurfaced. On 9 September 2025, the protesters stormed the Parliament building and created chaos there. They also seized weapons from security personnel. The agitation led to the fall of the government, following which Balen Shah was elected.

Balen Shah’s earlier statement comes under discussion !

In 2023, a young man named Prem Acharya self-immolated in protest against the policies of the then government. At that time, Shah was the Mayor of Kathmandu. Reacting to the incident, he had said, “A young man resorting to self-immolation is the government’s failure.” Now, as Prime Minister, Shah has remained silent over the self-immolation incidents involving the youth. Consequently, the protesters have criticised him.