Nepal On Edge: Top Ministers Quit PM Oli’s Cabinet, More Resignations Likely Amid Gen-Z Protests

Last Updated:September 09, 2025, 13:46 IST

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak was the first to resign on Monday, saying he could not remain in office after police fired on demonstrators in Kathmandu

Protest erupts in Nepal over restrictions on using social media. (Reuters Photo)

Amid a deadly police crackdown on youth-led protests against corruption and a controversial social media ban, at least four ministers have resigned from Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s Cabinet, according to reports.

At least 19 people were killed and more than 400 were injured in Monday’s violence, intensifying calls for Oli to step down.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak was the first to resign on Monday, saying he could not remain in office after police fired on demonstrators in Kathmandu.

A day later, Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari of the Nepali Congress also quit, questioning whether the country was “sliding into authoritarianism instead of democracy.”

In his resignation letter, Adhikari said he could not continue in government after the “killing and suppression of innocent young children.”

Health Minister Pradeep Paudel also confirmed to NDTV that he, too, would resign, while Youth and Sports Minister Teju Lal Chaudhary and Water Minister Pradeep Yadav have already stepped down.

Legislator Asim Shah also submitted his resignation.

According to party insiders, senior Congress leader Shekhar Koirala has urged allies in the Cabinet to quit, deepening the crisis for Oli’s ruling coalition.

The resignations came as Kathmandu and surrounding districts were placed under curfew.

Despite the restrictions, protests have continued across the country, with thousands of students and young demonstrators chanting slogans such as “Shut down corruption, not social media” and “Unban social media.”

Under pressure, Oli convened an emergency Cabinet meeting late Monday to roll back the ban on social media platforms and announced a probe into the violence.

Calling the events “a very unfortunate incident,” he blamed “infiltration” by disruptive groups and defended the crackdown as an attempt to protect constitutional institutions from arson and vandalism.

With four ministers already gone and others signalling they will follow, pressure is mounting on the Nepali Congress and coalition partners to withdraw support from Oli’s government, which is facing its most serious political crisis in years.

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Ronit Singh

Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be…Read More

Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be… Read More

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