Police Block Youth Protesters Attempting to Enter Singha Durbar

A group of youth protestors, identifying as part of the “Gen Z” movement, attempted to enter the Singha Durbar government complex on Tuesday but were forcibly removed by security personnel. The demonstration was organized by the Miraj Dhungana group, protesting Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s refusal to receive their memorandum of demands.

The youth group, which had announced continuous protests starting Monday, demonstrated on Tuesday by wearing black armbands. Police stationed at the main gate intervened as the group tried to gain entry, leading to a brief scuffle. The protestors were reportedly planning to stage an arrest at the Singha Durbar gate but were prevented from doing so.

Superintendent of Police and Kathmandu District Police Spokesperson Pawan Kumar Bhattarai confirmed that the group was removed for attempting to enter a restricted area. Police pushed the protestors back beyond the Bhatbhateni area in Anamnagar.

This protest follows Monday’s incident where the same group expressed dissatisfaction after being denied a meeting with the Prime Minister. On Monday, they affixed their list of demands to the Singha Durbar gate before leaving. Harish Bhatta, a leader of the ‘Let Us Live and Work’ campaign led by Miraj, stated that Tuesday’s plan was specifically to demonstrate at the gate and court arrest, not necessarily to meet the Prime Minister.

Bhatta emphasized that the movement will continue until their demands are met, stating, “Today we had a pre-planned strategy to reach Singha Durbar and get arrested. We went for the demonstration accordingly. This movement will continue until our demands are fulfilled.”

The protestors’ joint eight-point demand, which was pasted on the gate on Monday, was initially fueled by public outrage over Prime Minister Karki’s Principal Private Secretary, Adarsh Kumar Shrestha, who allegedly appointed family members and relatives to his secretariat. The broader demands include the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and all individuals involved in the events of August 23–24. Additionally, they call for forming an all-party government to amend the current constitution, halting the announced elections, and freezing the assets of all political leaders, former lawmakers, and ministers. Other demands include creating a powerful anti-corruption commission, permanently banning partisan employee organizations within government service, establishing a Gen Z monitoring commission, and immediately providing employment to the families of martyrs and the injured.

Bhatta reported that the group was pushed back to Bardali in Anamnagar by the police, but members were attempting to move back toward Singha Durbar to continue their demonstration.