Nepal Gen-Z Protests: Balen Shah Faces Heat Over Evictions

Millennial leader Balen Shah is facing his most significant political challenge as Gen-Z activists launch widespread protests across Kathmandu. The unrest centers on the government’s aggressive mass eviction of squatters from public lands and riverbanks in the capital. Tensions reached a boiling point following reports of self-immolation by protesters and allegations of illegal detention. Human rights activists, including Majid Ansari, have alleged that police used torture during arrests, sparking further outrage among the city’s youth who previously supported Shah’s rise.

Shah originally came to power with the backing of a massive youth movement that had successfully toppled previous political establishments. However, his administration’s focus on urban clearing and rehabilitation policies has alienated his core constituency. Protesters claim that the evictions lack a proper plan for the thousands left homeless and that the government has failed to provide adequate holding centers. The movement represents a generational shift in Nepal’s political landscape, where younger voters are holding their own leaders to higher standards of transparency and human rights.

As a close neighbor with an open border, India monitors Nepal's internal stability with high interest to ensure regional security. Unrest in Kathmandu often has spillover effects on cross-border trade and the movement of people between the two nations. Indian security agencies remain vigilant against any prolonged civil disruption that could be exploited by external actors to influence Nepal's strategic posture. Maintaining a stable and democratic Nepal is essential for India’s neighborhood-first policy and the successful execution of shared hydropower and infrastructure projects.