KATHMANDU, Sept 8: Social media, especially Facebook, has been flooded with posts urging Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) to resign as mayor and take national leadership.
Netizens are writing “Dear Balen, Take Now or Never” on their timelines, calling on him to establish a new political party and lead the country. They argue that leaders of the three traditional major parties have failed to deliver and that Balen should step in to provide a new direction.
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This wave of support for Balen comes in the wake of the government’s heavy-handed response to Gen Z’s peaceful protest against the social media ban, rampant corruption and the extravagant lifestyles of politicians’ children.
So far, 20 people have been killed and hundreds injured nationwide in police crackdowns on Monday. In Kathmandu alone, 18 protesters have lost their lives, while two more were killed in Itahari, Sunsari.
The government’s use of force has drawn widespread backlash, fueling calls for the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli— and for Balen to take over leadership. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has already tendered resignation to Prime Minister Oli on moral grounds following the deaths of at least 20 protestors in police action.
