Political leaders were playing 'Kaun Banega Pradhan Mantri': Foreign affairs expert Sushant Sareen on Nepal's Gen Z protest

New Delhi [India], September 10 (ANI): Foreign affairs expert Sushant Sareen on Wednesday shared insights on Nepal's tumultuous situation, comparing it with a game of musical chairs, where leaders were more focused on becoming prime minister than addressing pressing public issues.
Speaking with ANI, Sareen highlighted Nepal's economic strain, stagnant politics, and frequent government changes, sometimes within a year or a year and a half.
"The situation in Nepal has not been very good. There were a lot of economic pressures. The politics was like stagnant water. There was political turmoil. The governments were changing within a year or a year and a half. The political leaders were playing 'Kaun Banega Pradhan Mantri' instead of addressing public issues," said Sareen.
Sareen slammed Nepal's leaders for failing to bring people's problems to Parliament and understand the underlying issues, saying that small incidents were building pressure, culminating in explosive protests.
He questioned whether there's a directed force behind the unrest, emphasising the lack of a clear roadmap for stability.
"Small incidents had been happening that were creating pressure. The leaders failed to bring the people's problems to Parliament, and they were unable to understand what had been happening under their noses. And then one day, the explosion took place. It is too soon to say if this was directed, but there must have been some people who instigated the people to get out of their houses... There is no clear roadmap to bring back stability...," added Sareen.
The unrest and political instability described by Sareen come amid escalating public protests, with the death toll in the September 8 Gen-Z-led demonstrations rising to 30, the Ministry of Health and Population announced on Wednesday evening, highlighting the human cost of Nepal's ongoing governance and economic challenges.
Issuing a release, the Health Ministry stated that 1,033 injuries have been recorded nationwide, out of which 713 injured individuals have already been discharged, while 55 were referred to other facilities for further treatment. Another 253 patients remain newly admitted.
The Civil Service Hospital in Kathmandu is currently handling the largest caseload, treating 436 people. The National Trauma Centre is caring for 161 patients, and Everest Hospital is treating 109. In all, 28 hospitals across the country are providing care to those affected, the ministry added.
The Health Ministry said emergency services have been mobilised to cope with the surge in patients and instructed hospitals to remain on high alert.
Thousands of Nepali youths took to the streets of Kathmandu on September 8, demanding transparency and the lifting of the social media ban. The KP Sharma Oli-led government at the time defended the ban as a means to curb the spread of fake news. However, the move was criticised by rights groups, who said it was a tool for censorship.
The protesters, especially college and school-going students, highlighted broader frustrations over shrinking economic opportunities and persistent corruption. In a single day, at least 19 people were killed across the nation, with hundreds more injured.
The protest under the banner of Gen-Z Nepal saw a spree of shooting by security forces as they tried to break into the parliament. Police indiscriminately fired upon protesters with live rounds, followed by tear gas.
In Kathmandu, protesters marched from Maitighar to New Baneshwar, attempting to enter the Parliament building. The NHRC said Nepal's Constitution and international human rights law guarantee the right to peaceful dissent and called the escalation into vandalism and the use of excessive force by security personnel "regrettable."
The commission directed the government to implement high security measures to prevent further harm, provide relief and compensation to victims' families, ensure free treatment for the injured, and conduct a fair and thorough investigation to hold perpetrators accountable. Protesters were also urged to maintain peaceful and disciplined demonstrations. (ANI)