The Balen Shah government in Nepal is encountering protests against its eviction of squatters without a resettlement plan. Demonstrations in Kathmandu were organised by the Joint National Squatters Front.
The recently formed Balen Shah-led government in Nepal is facing protests against its move to evict squatters without a resettlement plan. On Sunday, hundreds of people, mostly youths, took to the streets in capital Kathmandu against the Shah government. The protest was organised by the Joint National Squatters Front, which took place outside a government office in Kathmandu.
Protesters were demanding to stop illegal arrests and to provide shelters to the homeless people evicted by the Shah government. Nepali Congress chief Gagan Kumar Thapa hit out at the Balen Shah government for arresting activists. He also sought their release.
Notably, it is the first challenge faced by Shah, who had supported the violent GenZ protests against former Prime Minister KP Oli in September last year. The protesters had been going against the Kathmandu police for the past few days, escalated on Sunday.
Protesters reportedly highlighted the poor living conditions of the people evicted by the police in Kathmandu. Several people, including activists, students and journalists, have been taken into custody by the police. Earlier this month, a 25-year-old protesters , set himself on fire in Kathmandu after the police reportedly placed a wheel lock on his bike. Over the pasr few days, two people died after setting them on fire, while the third person sustained injuries.
It triggered anger among the GenZs. Meanwhile, the matter escalated after after flooding struck a temporary settlement in Kathmandu on Friday (July 10), where around 150 displaced people had been relocated. Security personnel evacuated the residents. The following day, a group of GenZ activists visited the site to assess the situation, but police dispersed them with a baton charge. One activist sustained facial injuries during the crackdown and was admitted to a hospital.