The demonstration by the Gen Z youths has taken the country by storm, in general, and the capital city, Kathmandu, in particular, due to the government's ban on social media. Consequently, protests have erupted in Butwal, Birtamode and several other cities. Fourteen protestors are said to have died in the event. If the situation deteriorates at the present pace, Nepal may have to undergo the fate of Sri Lanka as well as Bangladesh eventually.

It may be remembered that the protestors stormed the Prime Minister's building in Sri Lanka after the economy slumped to an all-time low leading to the flight of President Rajapakshe Gotabaya to Singapore. In Bangladesh, the students' protest against the government's atrocities, marked by several deaths, surged in such an exponential pace that the government enjoying a two-thirds majority had to give in, with Prime Minister Hasina Wajed fleeing the country and taking asylum in neighbouring India.

Gen Z had begun their protest with a peaceful gathering at Maitighar Mandala, aiming to voice their concerns over the sudden ban on social media. However, instead of engaging in dialogue, the government chose a dismissive and demeaning tone. Officials reduced the issue to the loss of just four jobs, trivialising the broader frustration felt by the youth. Prime Minister, accused by critics of adopting an increasingly authoritarian approach, brushed aside the concerns of the younger generation. He stated that the government would not compromise the nation's dignity and self-respect, arguing that the social media ban was justified because the platforms had violated national laws by failing to register with Nepali authorities.

True, the media should not show disrespect to the country from where they make billions of rupees. The government should bring them to account by making a request in the beginning, which it has done. It should not hesitate to put them behind bars if the government's genuine request goes unheeded. It should reward the law-abiding agencies and discard the law-violating ones. But it should not have abruptly closed the media, which has been creating inconvenience to myriads of people.

Inconveniences are too many to describe here. Sick persons in hospitals have not been able to even inform their relatives. Many people working online are in danger of losing their job because of the failure to deliver in time. The government cannot understand such subtilties because it is often found reveling despite not fulfilling the basic responsibility like spending the development budget.

Most of the politicians who belong to the X or earlier generation cannot simply understand the way the daily life of the new generation functions. For them, information technology is like a way of life. They are generally considered as born after 2000 while the Y and X gen belong to their parents and their grandparents. The political leaders of X and Y generations do not understand their sentiments, which has led to the present unfortunate incident.

The government is like a dull student who cannot draw lessons from past events. The Rana regime had to bow out of the century-long oppression in the country after it mounted oppression on the educated mass. The 250-year-old monarchy had to make an exit because its insensitive ruler, then King Gyanendra, closed the communication media, including television and telephones. He had imitated the Pakistani government, which had earlier been on such a callous spree under the dictatorial rule of military General Pervez Musharaf. These may be far off events, but it could not even draw lessons from what happened next door in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Protestors do not seem to be against the hard-earned republicanism in the country. They greatly value B P Koirala, Puspa Lal Shrestha, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, and Mana Mohan Adhikari. But they appear to be strongly opposed to the allegedly corrupt politicians of the post-democracy era, particularly the current three dominant figures – Deuba, Oli, and Dahal. One Gen Z participant on the popular show Janata Janna Chahanchhan last Sunday evening remarked that they've grown tired of seeing the same faces - Deuba, Oli, Dahal, and their close allies - since birth, despite their consistently poor performance.

For many, the government has become little more than an eyesore. It cannot create jobs in the country. Instead, it is on an evacuation campaign of the young people by signing agreements with other countries for the supply of manpower. Those who want to remain in the country are also dealt with such lusty blows like the recent closure of the media.

The Gen Z are like the government's children. They seek parental care from the government. The government, however, appears to have chosen to work in an irresponsive manner by firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells, resulting in several deaths. The situation has deteriorated to such an extent now that talks between the Gen Z and the government will not quell the present situation. If the government had taken the initiative yesterday, it would have been possible. An all-party government also cannot address the situation due to the allergy of the political parties developed among the people. The government should therefore resign and recommend the President to form an interim government led by Gen Z representatives, guided by the counsel of a respected national figure or celebrity like Dr Sanduk Ruit or Mahabir Pun akin to Mohammad Youssouf of Bangladesh following Para 66 (2) and 81 (gha) of the Constitution of Nepal.