The government has held discussions with various youth groups who have been protesting against corruption, nepotism, and other forms of misgovernance.
The meeting, which brought all the groups together, took place at the Prime Minister's official residence in Balwatar and lasted for about two hours. Although Prime Minister Sushila Karki herself was not present, her secretariat coordinated the discussions.
Attendees and agenda
Representing the government were Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Law Minister Anil Kumar Sinha, Physical Infrastructure Minister Kulman Ghising, Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal, Communications Minister Jagadish Kharel, and the Prime Minister's Private Secretary Adarsha Shrestha.
Twenty-five representatives from five different Gen Z groups participated in the discussions. Baluwatar sources said the discussion was necessary because various groups were operating under the "Gen Z" banner with differing views and demands, necessitating a joint meeting.
The participating groups included those led by Sudan Gurung, Rakshya Bam, Bablu Gupta, and Abhishek Shrestha, as well as a separate group of martyr families' representatives.
Earlier, internal conflicts were noted among the Gen Z groups themselves, such as Rakshya Bam and others rejecting a negotiation team formed by Sudan Gurung. A video of an injured Abhishek Shrestha expressing anger toward Sudan from his hospital bed had also gone viral. Furthermore, the families of those who died during the protests had expressed concern over the lack of a clear Gen Z leader and the government's perceived sympathy toward older political leaders.
"In this context, it was essential to reduce distrust and build a common understanding," a source privy to the meeting told Nepakhabar. "Today, there was a serious discussion on the Gen Z sentiment, government actions, and the future roadmap. Everything was discussed openly and transparently, and the discussion concluded positively."
Key issues raised
The meeting began with Prime Minister's Private Secretary Adarsha Shrestha presenting the agenda, followed by the Gen Z representatives sharing their views. Their demands varied widely, from amending the constitution for a directly elected executive to simply adhering strictly to the current constitution.
The martyr families' representatives, in particular, voiced suspicion that the ongoing process might be jeopardized. They questioned why the government had not yet taken steps to immediately jail and investigate former Prime Ministers and Ministers from the previous administration, noted the slow pace of the investigation commission's work, and pointed to public controversies surrounding the commission's officials.
The ministers concluded the discussion by providing updates on their respective actions and committing to not deviate from the spirit of the Gen Z uprising in the future.
Government commitment and press conference
"It has been agreed that such discussions will continue," a Gen Z representative told Nepalkhabar after the meeting. "Our main issue is good governance and the end of corruption. We clearly demanded merciless action against all corrupt individuals, oppressors of the movement, and infiltrators. We will continue to hold the government accountable."
Following the meeting, Home Minister Aryal, accompanied by Gen Z representatives, held a press conference, though it focused primarily on disaster management. He stated, "This government is here for good governance. In this time of disaster, let's all unite with humanitarian spirit for rescue and relief. Let's not see this as an opportunity to profit during a crisis. This is a time to earn respect and prestige, and to be rewarded. Let's work in a way that earns us rewards."
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