Nepal’s GenZ movement last month that threw out the government of prime minister KP Sharma Oli, was driven entirely by issues like corruption or poor governance, unemployment, educational decay and the erosion of public trust in politics.
Speaking to SNG on The Gist, Pradeep Pande, a student activist who was involved in the protests said “The youth, educated, connected and intellectual, are deeply aware the realities of corrupt government. So what began as frustration, transformed into a peaceful civic movement demanding accountability, integrity and transparency.”
It was not funded, inspired from outside, he underscored. It was driven by unemployed and poor Nepalis, driven by frustration over the lack of accountability with which successive governments had functioned.
Pande said the students want to ensure morality and integrity in public life, people should be able to carry out their democratic responsibilities so that good and non corrupt leaders will represent them.
He made it clear that the students did not seek revenge and were not motivated by hatred. If the law and investigations proved that leaders like Oli and Nepali Congress chief Deuba were corrupt and took part in attacks on the student activists, (34 were killed in police firing), then they would be punished according to the law.
“We are getting good response from Nepali Congress. But lately the CPN-UML is not speaking out against their corrupt leaders now. And now we have got from many parties their youth leaders speaking out against their leaders.”
He pointed to corruption in the bureaucracy, noting that if good leaders are identified and selected, they will help cleanse the government system of corruption and graft.
“If the investigations prove their corruption, many others will go on trial,” Pande warned. “We demand the government bring Mr. Oli to trial for the order he gave to shoot our friends during the protest. Okay. That is the only charge against him so far. There are other many corruption cases that he can be charged with.”
Tune in for more in this conversation with Pradeep Pande, a student activist involved in Nepal’s GenZ protests.
Thirty eight years in journalism, widely travelled, history buff with a preference for Old Monk Rum. Current interest/focus spans China, Technology and Trade. Recent reads: Steven Colls Directorate S and Alexander Frater's Chasing the Monsoon. Netflix/Prime video junkie. Loves animal videos on Facebook. Reluctant tweeter.
