‘Modi ji ko namaskar, he is a good leader,’ says Justice Sushila Karki as Gen Z protesters name her as interim PM

“Want to hand back control after fair elections. I want honest government to take reins. Conducting elections will take some time,” Justice Karki told CNNNews18.

While speaking with CNNNews18, Justice Sushila Karki said that she has agreed to take the position of interim PM of Nepal. “I’m ready for this. Young protesters requested me and I agreed,” Justice Karki said.

Nepal’s Gen Z protesters have reportedly proposed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as its interim PM for upcoming negotiations.

The decision came after a nearly four-hour virtual meeting, where participants agreed that no youth with ties to political parties should take part in leadership discussions.

Karki, who has no political affiliation, was chosen for her neutrality and credibility.

Air India Express on Wednesday announced that passengers booked to travel to or from Nepal until September 17 can reschedule their trips without any extra charges or cancel for a full refund. The airline made this decision to ensure passenger safety and convenience as protests continue over corruption and a controversial social media ban.

Earlier today, Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has announced that it will resume services from 6 pm Wednesday. The airport was closed 24 hours ago after anti-government protests turned violent in the country.

Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport has opened for civilians after remaining shut for almost a day amid the protests. The Nepal Army on Wednesday imposed nationwide restrictive orders followed by a curfew to quell possible violence in the aftermath of Gen Z protests.

Yashwant Shah, grandson of former Nepal prime minister K I Singh, on Wednesday accused the Nepal government of mishandling recent protests in the country, saying the demonstrations were peaceful and enjoyed wide public support.

Speaking to PTI Videos in Lucknow, Shah said the protest in Kathmandu on September 8 was called by a student body and was joined by a large number of demonstrators.

“The protest was against corruption. There have been several scams going on for a long time and people felt something must be done to stop them,” he said.

– via PTI

For a second day in a row, all Air India and IndiGo flights to Kathmandu remain cancelled. The Kathmandu airport was shut indefinitely after the anti-corruption protests in the country swelled. The Army has taken over the internal security of Nepal since late Tuesday.

KP Sharma Oli resigned yesterday amid escalating political unrest in Nepal. However, it wasn’t merely a social media crackdown that spiralled out of control.

The turning point was when the 11-year-old Usha Magar Sunuwar was struck by Minister Ram Bahadur Magar’s convoy on September 6. Instead of offering help, the minister abandoned the injured child.

To make matters worse, Oli dismissed the incident as a “normal accident”. According to a report by The Times of India, this callous response led to the protests across Nepal, ultimately leading to the ouster of the Oli government.

Trigger Warning: The video below contains graphic content.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has directed officials to ensure the safe return of Kannadigas stranded at Kathmandu airport, as it has been shut for an indefinite period.

The Gen Z protestors have demanded the dissolution of the Parliament, action on cops who fired at the protestors amid other demands.

The authorities have shut down Kathmandu Airport for an indefinite period.

Nepal Army has arrested 27 people in connection with looting, arson, and other violent acts during the ongoing Gen Z-led protests.

The video shows black smoke billowing out from Kantipur Media Group’s headquarters, which was set on fire yesterday by Gen Z protestors.

One Gen Z protestor said that he wanted to beat KP Oli, but he has left the country and ran away.

Amid the political unrest in Nepal, 36 inmates have escaped prison and the search for them is underway. The jail held 98 inmates in total.

IndiGo has suspended all flights to and from Kathmandu until 6 pm on September 10. Earlier, it was suspended till 12 pm on Wednesday.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, in a statement, has said that he is “appalled” by the unrest in Nepal and has appealed to the people for peace.

“I plead with security forces to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further such bloodshed and harm… Violence is not the answer,” he said in a statement.

The Army has urged people to maintain “peace and security” amid the political unrest in the country. It added that some “lawless individuals and groups” have taken up arms and have been wreaking havoc in the nation.

“The Nepal Army expresses its gratitude to all citizens for their continued support in fulfilling its responsibility to maintain peace and security in the country in the current difficult situation. Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life and property during the protests, everyone is requested to cooperate in efforts to control criminal activities,” the release said.

“As various lawless individuals and groups are still infiltrating and committing acts of vandalism and arson, looting, violent attacks on individuals, and attempted rape in the name of the movement, keeping in mind the overall peace and security situation in the country, the curfew currently imposed will continue throughout the country until 5 pm (1700 hrs) on Bhadra 25, 2082, and thereafter, the curfew order will continue until 6 am (0600 hrs) on Bhadra 26 tomorrow, and further information will be disseminated based on the analysis of the situation,” it added.

The Nepal Army has extended the nationwide curfew after two days of unrest. The curfew will be in place until 5:00 pm today.

Once this ends, a nationwide curfew comes into force from 6:00 am on Thursday.

If you, or someone you know, is stuck in Nepal, you can get in touch with the Indian Embassy through the numbers below which are also available on WhatsApp.

Helpline numbers

The ministry has also shared emergency contact numbers for assistance.

You can reach out to the Embassy of India in Kathmandu at the following numbers:

+977-980 860 2881 (also available on WhatsApp)

+977-981 032 6134 (also available on WhatsApp)

A video of an Indian woman in Nepal has appealed for help as she recalls the horror she has to undergo amid the unrest in the country. She said that the hotel she was staying in was set on fire and that an angry mob chased her with “very big sticks”.

Read More here: ‘People were chasing me with very big sticks,’ Indian woman stuck in Nepal recalls horror, appeals for help

A Gen-Z protestor, who spoke to the news agency ANI, demanded a “new leader” after “corrupt” Oli ran away amid mounting political tensions on Day 2 of the protests.

“The PM of our country, KP Sharma Oli, ran away. We demand a good leader. We will get to know what will happen today,” Subhash, one of the protesters, told ANI on Wednesday.

“The violent protests that we had seen for the past two days might not happen now, but we want new rules and regulations in the country. We want the youth to be able to do things in their own country. That is why the Gen-Z protests happened. Now, KP Oli has run away, the corrupt leaders have run away, now we need a new leader,” Subhash said.

Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel will meet ‘Gen Z’ protestors today and has urged for a peaceful resolution through dialogue.

“I urge all sides to remain calm, prevent further harm to the nation, and come to the table for talks. In a democracy, the demands raised by citizens can be addressed through dialogue and negotiation,” the statement read.

The appeal comes after two days of violent protests that left at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured when security forces opened fire on protesters outside the Parliament.

The army has taken over Nepal as Oli’s government was toppled after the violent protests and soldiers were seen patrolling the streets Wednesday morning.

“We are trying to normalise the situation first,” army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said on Wednesday. “We are committed to protect the life and property of people.”