Kathmandu: Nepal's government has lifted a controversial ban on social media platforms, following violent protests in which at least 19 people have died. The Cabinet took this decision after a late-night crisis meeting, with Nepali Minister for Communication, Information and Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, telling dpa that the ban on social media platforms has been removed.
According to Ghana News Agency, the protests, which resulted in hundreds of injuries, continued on Tuesday morning despite the removal of the ban and nationwide curfews, with thousands of angry demonstrators vandalizing and setting fire to the offices of major parties and several leaders. Protesters set fire to the office of Nepali Congress and attacked the home of opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal and several other politicians.
Media reports indicate that protesters also set fire to several police offices, while clashes were reported in Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country. Both the opposition and a section of parties in the ruling coalition have demanded the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The prime minister called an all-party meeting for later Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Although last week's social media ban triggered the protests, the Oli government and its politicians had already been facing growing backlash on social media over allegations of corruption and nepotism. On Tuesday, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari announced his resignation, while local media reported that several other ministers in Oli's Cabinet are planning to follow suit.
As of Tuesday morning, at least 19 people had been killed, and around 150 others injured, according to Nepal Police spokesman Binod Ghimire. The unrest followed the government's decision last week to block 26 online networks, including Facebook and Instagram, across the Himalayan nation. Authorities accused the platforms of failing to register properly.
In August, Nepal's Supreme Court had ordered that the affected online services be placed under state supervision, to help combat the spread of misinformation online. Critics say the government is using the measure to expand control over the platforms, rather than merely to regulate them. Thousands of people, mostly young people aged roughly 18 to 30, took to the streets across the country to protest the move. In Kathmandu, the situation escalated on Monday when protesters tried to force their way into the parliament building. Participants in the protests also voiced concerns about rising government corruption.
