Nepal GenZ leaders call for corruption-free future, seek closer ties with India

Nepal’s youth-led GenZ movement is pushing for a corruption-free political system and better opportunities for young citizens, according to core committee members Tanaka Dhami and Arjun Shahi.

“Our fight was against corruption. The common man had no basic amenities. We want to build a new economic system free of corruption,” said Shahi, emphasizing that the movement targets not just former Prime Minister KP Oli but all leaders and bureaucrats whose misgovernance pushed Nepal to its current state. Dhami highlighted the lack of local opportunities for study and employment, which forces young Nepalese to migrate abroad.

The leaders addressed recent calls of violence during protests on Discord, asserting that GenZ demonstrations were peaceful. “The onus of violence lies with political leaders. They murdered 22 of our members on September 9,” they said. Describing the protests as a “do-or-die situation,” they underscored the urgency of their mission and vowed to continue until their objectives are met.

FOCUS ON SYSTEM REBUILDING, NOT POWER

Asked about their role now that Sushila Karki has taken over as Prime Minister, the GenZ leaders said their priority was not holding office but rebuilding Nepal’s governance system.

“We are rebuilding the nation with a new government. What happened through the GenZ revolution has never happened in history and cannot be repeated,” Shahi said. He clarified that they are not interested in deciding who should be in the government but will “review and reform the system” to ensure accountability.

The official GenZ committee, Shahi added, will monitor the efficiency of the government and work as a watchdog to keep it on track.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS ON CARDS

The committee is reportedly planning constitutional changes aimed at dismantling provisions that historically benefited politicians and bureaucrats. However, Tanaka denied reports that they were considering a complete rejection of the Constitution, saying that it held a lot of importance to them and only some parts would be amended, keeping the benefits of the people in mind.

RELIGIOUS HARMONY AND YOUTH ACTIVISM

Rejecting claims that Nepal is moving toward a Hindu Rashtra, the GenZ members said, “People from different religions live together without discrimination. We want to focus on humanity. This is the centre of Hinduism and Buddhism; we aim to keep all religions together.” They also highlighted the role of social media in youth activism: “Maturity doesn’t come with age; it comes with experience. We follow Mahatma Gandhi, but our model is different. We brought revolution in just 17 hours,” Dhami explained.

ADMIRATION FOR INDIA'S LEADERSHIP

The committee members expressed respect for India and its leadership: “PM Modi is one of the biggest leaders in the world. He took the Indian economy to a top-three position. We welcome his message,” they said, signalling a desire for closer bilateral engagement.

“We want India and other countries to invest in Nepal,” the young leaders added, signalling openness to international collaboration for economic development.

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