Gen-Z Protests: Organic or Orchestrated?

In September 2025, Nepal witnessed massive ‘Gen Z protests’ sparked by a government ban on 26 social media platforms. Anger over censorship, corruption, nepotism, and unemployment fueled nationwide demonstrations. Clashes escalated as protesters stormed state buildings. Security forces responded with force, leaving 19 dead and more than 100 injured. The future of a nation is charted by the actions of the youth in the present. If a country fails to tap into the potential of its young population to build social and economic institutions that advance the growth of the nation, it creates socio-economic fault lines that provide space for external factors to manipulate the masses and trigger instability. Nepal, which witnessed more than 25 governments in 30 years, has been among the most unstable democracies in the world since 1990. Political instability has paved the way for economic crisis and forced youngsters to leave the country in search of employment. In 2022–23, youth unemployment in Nepal was 22.7%, compared to just 7.3% in the mid-1990s. To ensure a peaceful and prosperous future, political stability, economic progress, and social cohesion are vital.Youngsters play a prominent role in keeping all these factors intact. The spirit of progress in the youth should be backed by governments through policies that incentivise them to unearth their potential. If governments fail, they risk the same fate as Nepal’s administration. This pattern was distinctly observed in South Asia in the last three years. In 2022, Pakistan’s Imran Khan government fell after a no-confidence motion citing economic mismanagement and foreign policy blunders, aided by defectors from his party. In 2023, Sri Lanka’s youth-led protests against economic collapse forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee and resign. In 2024, Bangladesh saw student protests over job quotas escalate until Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country. Beyond economics, what is common in these three cases is that just before instability, their governments were distancing themselves from the influence of certain Western powers. This pattern raises a concerning doubt—whether these protests are organic or orchestrated?.No matter what the answer is, these problems could have been effectively settled through electoral resolve and effective policymaking. When India went through a similar crisis in the late 1980s, it did not witness such massive protests. Instead, the Indian Government came up with an effective policy to ‘Liberalise, Privatise and Globalise’ the economy. This revived the Indian economy and bolstered the living conditions of the people. As India today charts its course under similar global pressures, it has shown resilience. India is now the world’s fifth-largest economy, growing at around 6.5% annually. It attracted USD 71 billion in FDI in 2023, showing strong investor confidence. With over 850 million internet users and digital platforms like UPI recording over 100 billion transactions annually, India has built one of the strongest digital economies. Most importantly, with 65% of its population under 35, India has the youth power to shape its future while maintaining democratic stability. Indian tradition has long understood the value of youth.In the Taittiriya Upanishad, a youngster (yuva) is described as yuvaa syaat—in the prime of youth, full of vigour and vitality; saadhu yuvaa—disciplined, well-trained, cultured; sannishthah—firmly established in strength, learning, and character; and svasthah—healthy in body and mind. The Upanishad then says: “Such a youth, possessing the entire earth filled with wealth, represents one unit of human happiness.” India needs more such youngsters who will use their potential to construct the future of this nation, not destroy the present. Governments can defend against external pressures, but citizens must remain committed to building strong institutions and driving nation-building. In doing so, India stands first.

Gen-Z Protests: Organic or Orchestrated?

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