Nepal’s Prime Minister Sharma Oli has resigned from his position as deadly anti-corruption protests continue across the country, with at least 22 people now reported dead.
Deadly clashes occurred between police and so-called ‘Gen-Z’ protestors, mostly centered in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on Monday, which were ignited after a government ban on social media blocked 26 platforms for users in the country.
The country’s parliament building was set on fire by protesters, along with the homes of several high-ranking politicians. The wife of Nepal’s former prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal, Ravi Laxmi Chitrakar, was reportedly inside their house when it was set on fire and suffered severe burns.
Public discontent towards the Nepalese government has been rising to Monday’s eruption of protests, with 84% of the population believing that corruption is a big problem, according to corruption watchdog Transparency International.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli resigned following Monday’s violence, which saw 19 people killed by police, who used rubber bullets and tear gas against crowds.
“In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution,” said Oli in his resignation letter to President Ramchandra Paudel.
Videos from Monday’s violence show protestors, some even in school uniforms, sustaining serious head injuries as demonstrators approached the parliament building.
The social media ban was also lifted in response to Monday’s deadly protests. Despite both measures, the situation on Tuesday continued to escalate as protestors began targeting the residences of government ministers in Kathmandu, as well as the parliament building.
Damage to public buildings and businesses continued throughout Tuesday,…
