Today's Nepal : What I saw and became a part of in September 8 and 9, 2025

The Cost of September 8 and 9, 2025 

The governmental infrastructure of our country—both politically and literally—took a heavy blow yesterday. Much speculation and conspiracy surround the events, but my take is simpler: what unfolded could have been prevented on the very first day of the protest.

The violent response on Day 1 by the security forces, ordered by the now-defunct political leadership, led to the tragic and untimely deaths of many young children. This set off a chain reaction that no one could have fully predicted. Typically, in moments of mass protest, restraint is exercised to prevent escalation. Yet September 8 was different. It shocked people to their core, and what followed on September 9 was not spontaneous chaos but a reaction to that initial violence. Young teens were meant to lead the second day’s protest, and they did their best. But the agenda was no longer theirs alone. Others, equally angry, joined in, and the result was the devastation of national property.

As a witness to yesterday’s events in Kathmandu, I came away with one belief that I have confirmed time and again: when a large crowd gathers in opposition to a select few, the only rational response for the few is to surrender and accept whatever fate the crowd decides. The crowd was not happy yesterday. Many argue that factions from established political groups intervened, but my take is simpler—the crowd was simply too big and too fast for a state like ours to handle. Instead, sudden and violent acts were committed in full view of many. Ironically, these actions did more to discredit the Gen Z movement than any ideological counterargument could have.

That is my simple takeaway from yesterday’s events. The costs of these past two to three days will be weighed by history, but the present moment demands patience and foresight. I remain unconvinced that the Gen Z movement is as united as it believes itself to be. And even if some ambiguous sense of unity exists, we cannot dismiss the other half of the population, which also holds a stake in this nation. The political leadership has been shaken, and that only increases the responsibility of this generation—which has just shown what it is capable of. Now is the time to pause, reflect, and seek solutions—not through destruction, but through listening.

It is worth remembering that while many citizens are disillusioned, most still supported the existing governmental structure in some form. The upheaval we have just witnessed is not without precedent; jolts like these occur every now and then. But such jolts are decisive—they either make a country or break it.

The choice before us is still open. My hope is that we show the patience and courage to invite fair and transparent discussion. The only acceptable form of governance is one transparently built for the people of this Motherland—one that includes all of us, not just a single generation. Let us have an open discussion, rather than divide the nation further.