New Delhi, Sep 9: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that the US tariff hike will not have a significant impact on India’s GDP as the country is not dependent on exports for its growth.

In his address at the NDTV Profit conclave here, Goyal said that India has a large domestic market and is import-dependent. Additionally, India’s GDP is not dependent on exports. However, the minister said that the textile sector might see a significant impact of US tariffs.

“There are two or three sectors that will face significant US tariffs, and textiles is one such sector,” he pointed out. Goyal further stated that the GST rate cut will boost disposable income, which will increase demand in the economy and spur growth.

He further added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strengthened the nation’s economy with well-planned efforts in the last 11 years. The minister said that it is not US President Donald Trump that is keeping him awake, but PM Modi’s resolve to work for the people that is keeping him up at night.

At the same time, Goyal said that the US and India are two important nations and good friends. “All good things take time,” he remarked in reference to the India-US bilateral trade talks. Goyal’s comment comes against the backdrop of the recent conciliatory statement issued by US President Trump after the SCO meeting in Beijing attended by PM Modi. “I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great Prime Minister. India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about,” Trump stated.

To this, Prime Minister Modi replied: “I deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of India-US ties.” “India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership”, he posted on X.

IANS

New Delhi, Sep 9: C P Radhakrishnan, the candidate nominated by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), was elected as the 15th Vice President of India. He polled 452 votes to the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) candidate, former Justice Sudarshan Reddy’s 300.

The winner surpassed the quota to decide victory, which was set as 377, underscoring the NDA’s parliamentary majority and coalition discipline. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), a total of 767 votes were polled, out of which 752 were found valid and 15 were invalid.

According to Rajya Sabha Secretary-General P C Mody, the returning officer, polling was held in Room No. F-101, Vasudha, Parliament House, between 10 am and 5 pm. Counting of votes began at 6 pm after the conclusion of polling.

There was brisk voting with 96 per cent of MPs casting their ballot. Among them, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to exercise his franchise. PM Modi was accompanied by Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal.

Among other Union Ministers who cast their votes in the Vice-Presidential election were Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Nitin Gadkari. MPs such as former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda (age 92), Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those who voted during the process.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid, the jailed MP from Baramulla, was also present for voting amid heightened security arrangements. Several regional outfits – including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – and Independent MPs comprised 13 lawmakers who chose to abstain.

According to party leaders, the decision was taken in an effort to underline state-level priorities and maintain an equal distance from both the NDA and the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

The opposition, which framed the contest as an “ideological battle,” had claimed that all 315 of its MPs voted. Radhakrishnan’s victory is being attributed to the strong bond that keeps the NDA constituents together and Prime Minister Modi’s insistence on attention to detail. According to a BJP MP, the PM had made sure that every member of his party was aware of the process and knew the exact procedure.

The polls were notified by the ECI on August 7, setting Aug 21 as the last date for filing nominations. On August 22, nominations were scrutinised in the presence of representatives from all contesting parties.

Two valid candidates emerged, and no withdrawals were recorded by the Aug 25 deadline. This completed the formal nomination process, paving the way for the poll on September 9. Radhakrishnan will be administered the oath on Wednesday in the presence of the President of India, members of both Houses of Parliament, and constitutional dignitaries. His five-year tenure will extend until 2030, barring any premature vacancy. As ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the Vice-President will preside over the Upper House and act as President in the event of a vacancy in that office, as stipulated by Articles 67 and 71 of the Constitution.

IANS

Guwahati, Sep 9: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed on Tuesday the BJP has emerged as a serious contender in the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections and could spring a surprise in the region that has traditionally been dominated by local parties.

Speaking to reporters, Sarma noted that the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) have so far remained the two strongest players in Bodoland politics.

“In my assessment, UPPL and BPF were the dominant parties for the BTC polls, and they continue to be stronger compared to the BJP. But given the fact that the BJP has been preparing for the upcoming polls in Bodoland, it would not be surprising if we emerge as a winner,” he said.

The Chief Minister emphasised that beyond electoral competition, the primary purpose of the BTC elections is to uphold and safeguard peace in the Bodoland region. “The BTC polls are not just about power-sharing but also about protecting the peace that has been achieved after years of unrest,” Sarma remarked.

Bodoland, which falls under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), has a complex political landscape shaped by decades of movements for autonomy, armed insurgencies, and peace accords.
The BTC, an autonomous body under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, governs areas spread across four districts — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri. The BPF, led by Hagrama Mohilary, held sway over the BTC for nearly 17 years until the 2020 elections, when the UPPL, supported by the BJP, formed the council after a tough contest.

The BJP itself has been gradually expanding its organisational base in the BTR, riding on its alliance with the UPPL and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). In earlier statements, Sarma had underlined the importance of political stability in the region, insisting that “permanent peace” in Bodoland is crucial for the overall development of Assam.

He has also projected the BJP as a party capable of balancing local aspirations with the state’s broader development goals. As preparations for the BTC polls gather pace, the Chief Minister’s latest comments signal the BJP’s intent to test its electoral strength independently in one of Assam’s most politically sensitive regions.

IANS

New Delhi, Sep 9: The ECI on Tuesday decided to step up scrutiny of applicants seeking registration of their associations as a political party and issued instructions for an intensified verification of the antecedents of the founding members, an official said.

“To remove dubious applicants and to ensure that only genuine applicants get considered for registration, ECI has decided that verification of at least 20 randomly selected individual affidavits of the founding members shall be carried out,” it said.

As the members could be from different districts/States, the CEO(s) concerned would carry out the verifications through the respective DEOs, it said. The measure follows the Election Commission of India’s ongoing exercise of cleaning up the electoral system by delisting non-existent/non-functional Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) “Now, to ensure that applicants seeking registration of their associations as a political party under Section 29A are thoroughly verified at the stage of registration itself, ECI has issued instructions for an intensified scrutiny of the founding members,” said the ECI in a statement.

Political Parties (National/State/RUPPs) in the country are registered with the ECI under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951. As part of delisting non-existent/non-functional Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs), the ECI, in the first round of exercise, delisted 334 RUPPs by August 9.

The action brought down the number of listed RUPPs from 2,854 to 2,520. In the second round of the exercise in August 2025, ECI identified another 476 RUPPs and directed the CEOs of States and UTs to conduct verification enquiries against these political parties, said the statement.

Earlier in the day, the ECI held an interaction with a delegation of the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), led by its authorised representative K. Senthilkumar, as part of its ongoing consultations with political parties to further strengthen the electoral process. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, received the delegation at Nirvachan Sadan in the national capital.

The meeting enabled the party to put forward its suggestions and concerns before the Commission. The ECI said that such interactions reflect its broader vision of fostering constructive dialogue with all stakeholders in line with the existing legal framework.

The Commission has been holding similar consultations with presidents and senior representatives of national and state parties over the past several months. According to data shared by the poll panel, more than 4,719 all-party meetings have been conducted during the last six months across the country.

IANS

Dhaka, Sep 9: The question of repatriation of Rohingya refugees, who escaped Myanmar’s military crackdown in 2017, came up as Bangladesh hosted a three-day international conference on Rohingya in late August.

Since Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of the interim government in August 2024, the question of Rohingya repatriation has attained policy priority, positioning himself as the ‘moral advocate’.

However, this continues to remain a mere symbolism. Meanwhile, the influx of Rohingyas has increased since the fall of the previous government, with about 80,000 new refugees entering Bangladesh, added onto the 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in the country.

The deteriorating situation of Myanmar’s civil war, with the Arakan Army’s significant stronghold in Rakhine bordering Bangladesh, further worsened repatriation efforts. The Rohingya crisis no longer remains a refugee problem for Bangladesh but has added to its security challenges, evolving into a national security threat.

Since early this year, Yunus has intensified repatriation attempts, from addressing a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Myanmar’s worsening humanitarian situation; to inviting Guterres to visit Rohingya refugee camps in Coz’s Bazar this March jointly pledging for Rohingya repatriation by ‘next Eid’; to multilateral and bilateral engagements to secure cooperation on the issue of repatriation and the most controversial proposal of a ‘humanitarian corridor’ linking Cox’s Bazar with Rakhine.

However, actual repatriation remains wishful thinking even after the Myanmar junta verified 180,000 Rohingyas to be eligible for return, as no such repatriation had taken place. On the other hand, Bangladesh disclosed that it has also been communicating with the rebel Arakan Army, which is now controlling 14 out of 17 townships of Rakhine state, much to Myanmar’s junta’s objections.

However, Dhaka justified such a move as ‘protecting its national interest’. While the Arakan Army’s engagement with Dhaka is understandably rooted in securing its legitimacy in Rakhine, Bangladesh’s ‘balancing approach’ remains unclear, as it is well reported that the Arakan Army’s advancement in Rakhine in December 2024 triggered a fresh Rohingya exodus in the townships of Buthidaung and Maungdaw.

Also, the rebel group has not formally agreed to take back Rohingya refugees – Bangladesh’s sole reason for communication with the Arakan Army. On the contrary, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its June report noted that the Arakan Army has been oppressing the Rohingyas in northern Rakhine.

The cramped up Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, living in inhuman conditions worsened by international donor crunch, have now become more vulnerable to Rohingya armed groups, the most prominent being Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), militarising refugee camps, involving in drugs and arms smuggling and pulling the border conflict into Bangladeshi territory.

Through active and forceful recruitment of Rohingya youth from these camps, the Rohingya armed groups are now fighting against the Arakan Army. These activities have not only hindered repatriation efforts but also contributed to Bangladesh’s destabilising situation in its southeast.

just the Rohingyas, the conflict in Myanmar has been impacting Bangladeshi civilians as well. The latest re-appearance of violent escalation along the Teknaf border, especially shelling and gunfire from Rakhine, has affected the safety of Bangladeshi local civilians along the border, instilled fear in the bordering region, which has affected their movements and livelihood.

has further triggered more attempts at Rohingya influxes. Moreover, the repeated instances of abduction of Bangladeshi fishermen from the Naf River and the adjacent maritime zones of the Bay of Bengal by the Arakan Army have raised challenges to Bangladesh’s cross-border security.

to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), there have been at least 230 such cases in the past eight months, and 46 in the past three weeks alone. Experts note that the Arakan Army’s isolation and resource shortages are motives behind such abductions.

Therefore, one cannot rule out that the rebel group might put pressure on Bangladesh to open a humanitarian corridor for aid supply, a proposal that the interim government initially considered but later retracted due to protests by political parties.

Given the nature of conflict in Myanmar, there is no doubt that such a corridor would be used for the purpose of sustaining conflict, which would have spillover effects on Bangladesh, while humanitarian reasons such as repatriation of Rohingyas would be completely sidelined. For so long an economic constraint on Bangladesh, the issue of the Rohingya is now Bangladesh’s political and security problem.

The recent international conference on Rohingya held in Cox’s Bazar titled “Stakeholder Dialogue: Key Messages for the High-Level Conference on the Rohingya Situation”, therefore, is Yunus’s latest desperation to revive international engagement on the pressing issue.

However, the policy miscalculations are doing more harm to Bangladesh than resolving the Rohingya issue. Despite this, Yunus’s diplomatic efforts to bring in international cooperation on the same are proving to be mere lip service by the latter.

With the chief advisor admitting to ‘reach all its limits’, the only solution being Rohingya repatriation, Bangladesh needs a policy reformulation, keeping border as well as regional security in mind. It remains to be seen in the slated UN meeting in New York in late September whether it will garner only international solidarity with Bangladesh’s efforts at Rohingya repatriation or active cooperation on the same.

IANS

Geneva, Sep 9: The discussions during a side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on September 8 showcased a grim picture of South Asia, with minorities facing systemic discrimination, violence, and erasure in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Tibet.

However, despite its challenges, India has and remains the region’s beacon of inclusiveness and the only true democratic experiment in South Asia, a report has detailed. “When the United Nations Human Rights Council convened in Geneva on September 8 for the side event ‘Voices from the Margins: Protecting Minority Rights in South Asia’, the testimonies offered painted a grim portrait of the region.

From Pakistan to Bangladesh and Tibet, minorities continue to face systemic discrimination, violence, and erasure. Yet amid this bleak landscape, one country stands out as a counterpoint, India.

Despite its challenges, India remains the only true democratic experiment in South Asia where pluralism is not merely rhetoric but constitutional principle. The accounts in Geneva were damning,” a report in ‘Global Order’ stated.

In Pakistan, Ahmadis face criminal charges for merely identifying themselves as Muslims. Sindhi Hindu women and girls are forced to convert under the shadow of violence and impunity. Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and indigenous peoples in Bangladesh face communal violence.

“These are not isolated abuses; they are entrenched systems of exclusion. And they reveal an uncomfortable truth, large parts of South Asia remain unwilling or unable to guarantee the basic dignity of their minorities,” the report stated.

India, on the other hand, presents the starkest contrasts to this dismal record as equality, secularism, and religious freedom are enshrined in its Constitution and its judiciary. Independent press and vibrant civil society act as safeguards in the country. India’s pluralism is not just a domestic strength but a global message, as per the report.

“Most importantly, India’s national identity is not built on one faith, ethnicity, or language but on the principle of unity in diversity. It is no accident that India’s minorities, over 200 million Muslims, 30 million Christians, 20 million Sikhs, and countless other communities, participate fully in politics, arts, business, and science.

Presidents, chief justices, army generals, cricket captains, Oscar winners, tech CEOs, and entrepreneurs from minority backgrounds are visible proof of the country’s pluralist fabric. Contrast this with Pakistan, where Ahmadis are barred from even identifying as Muslims, or Bangladesh, where Hindu families routinely face intimidation,” the report highlighted.

The discussions held in Geneva showed that international accountability mechanisms often fail minorities in South Asia. However, India presents a model where problems are not denied but addressed through a functioning democracy and its success is important, not just for Indians but for the entire region.

“If South Asia is to escape its cycles of minority persecution, India’s model of inclusiveness, rooted in democracy, law, and the celebration of diversity, must serve as the benchmark. Anything less would be a betrayal of those ‘voices from the margins’ who spoke so powerfully in Geneva. India has been, and must remain, the region’s beacon of inclusiveness. The world should not only recognise this, it should also support and strengthen it,” the Global Order report mentioned.

IANS

New Delhi, Sep 9: The Vice-Presidential election, which saw NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan emerge victorious, has triggered fresh speculation and internal churn within the Opposition ranks.

While the result itself may not have come as a surprise, the discrepancy in voting numbers has cast a shadow over the Opposition’s claims of unity. According to official data announced by Rajya Sabha Secretary General P.C. Mody, Radhakrishnan secured 452 first preference votes, comfortably crossing the required 391-mark to win.

His opponent, Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, the consensus candidate of the INDIA bloc, received 300 votes. What Jairam Ramesh claimed Senior Congress leader and General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh had taken to X earlier, claiming a 100 per cent turnout from all 315 Opposition MPs, hailing it as an “unprecedented show of unity.”

In his words: “The voting in the Vice-Presidential election is over. The Opposition has stood united. ALL of its 315 MPs have turned up for voting. This is an unprecedented 100% turnout.”

He later added: “Its joint candidate Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy secured 40% of the vote. In 2022, the Opposition had received 26%. The BJP’s arithmetical victory is really both a moral and political defeat.” But the arithmetic on paper tells a different story — and a politically uncomfortable one for the Opposition.

The cross-voting conundrum If all 315 Opposition MPs indeed turned up and voted, as claimed, and yet only 300 votes were received by the INDIA bloc candidate, 15 votes have clearly gone missing.

That raises a crucial and unavoidable question: Did 15 Opposition MPs cross-vote in favour of the NDA candidate? If so, it wasn’t just a turnout exercise — it was a quiet breach of unity, suggesting internal fissures within the INDIA bloc, even as its leaders present a united front in public.

This development is likely to have serious implications for the INDIA bloc, especially as it gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections and looks to finalise seat-sharing arrangements for this year and the 2026 polls.

The identity of the 15 MPs who allegedly cross-voted may soon become a point of internal investigation — and potentially, public scandal. While the NDA celebrates its comfortable win, the Opposition’s attempt to frame the result as a “moral victory” appears to be undermined by its own numbers.

The INDIA bloc’s leadership will now have to grapple with not just the embarrassment of cross-voting but also the strategic implications of trust deficits within its camp.

IANS

New Delhi, Sep 9: NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan was on Tuesday elected as the new Vice President, securing a comfortable victory in what was billed as a rare ‘South vs South’ electoral contest.

Announcing the results, Rajya Sabha Secretary-General P.C. Mody said that Radhakrishnan polled 452 first preference votes, defeating opposition nominee and former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, who received 300 first preference votes.

The election witnessed a strong turnout with 752 members casting their votes out of the total 782 in the electoral college. The Vice President is chosen by an electoral college comprising members of both Houses of Parliament – 233 elected and 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha (which presently has five vacancies) and 543 members of the Lok Sabha (one vacancy).

This year’s contest carried symbolic weight as both candidates hailed from the South. Radhakrishnan, a veteran leader from Tamil Nadu with a long-standing association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was pitched by the NDA as a grassroots leader with administrative experience. Justice Reddy (retd), from Telangana, was projected by the opposition as a distinguished legal mind who could strengthen constitutional values in the second-highest office of the land.

The election was conducted through a secret ballot, following the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. Radhakrishnan’s victory adds to the NDA’s tally of key constitutional positions.

The election was necessitated by the sudden resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar, whose term was to last till 2027, in July. As the Vice President, Radhakrishnan will also function as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a role that places him at the heart of parliamentary proceedings, amid the frequent disruptions that have affected the sessions of both houses.

IANS

Washington, Sep 9:  Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra on Monday met with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker. Ambassador Kwatra posted a picture of the meeting on X on Tuesday, and said he had a “productive discussion” with Allison Hooker.

“Echoed the sentiments of our leaders. Both sides remain engaged through our ongoing bilateral and Quad initiatives, under the forward-looking India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” he added.

The meeting follows a recent exchange of warm remarks between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a brief choppy period. At a White House Press conference on Friday, President Trump said, “I’ll always be friends” with Prime Minister Modi and called him a “great Prime Minister.”

“India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about,” President Trump added. Hours after this comment, PM Modi reciprocated on Saturday by saying that he appreciates and fully reciprocates President Trump’s sentiments.

In recent weeks, India’s envoy to the United States has met a series of Congressional leaders from both parties to underscore the significance of India-US relations and discuss the way forward.

On September 3, Kwatra held discussions with Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In a post on X, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats quoted Rep.

Meeks as underscoring the “Congress’ support for the U.S.-India partnership, which has deepened over the past 25 years, including through the Quad.” In response, Ambassador Kwatra also posted on X, saying that he briefed Rep.

Meeks on “recent developments in the bilateral relationship” and discussed “trade, energy, Indo-Pacific, and broader issues of mutual interest.” These engagements come as India navigates President Trump’s punitive trade measures.

On August 27, President Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports to the US, doubling an initial 25 per cent levy as a consequence of India’s continued buying of discounted Russian oil amid the Ukraine conflict.

IANS

New Delhi, Sep 9:  The developments over the past 24 hours in neighbouring Nepal are nothing but unprecedented. What was seen as a protest against the ban on social media led to the resignation of the Prime Minister and the President of the country.

The demonstrations largely led by Gen Z against corruption and nepotism turned violent, and 22 lives were lost. The Parliament was set on fire, and this triggered the resignations of Prime Minister K P Oli and President Ram Chandra Poudel.

In a nutshell, Nepal had its Bangladesh movement, and it is now becoming amply clear that there is something larger at play. Nepal watchers say that these protests are not just about a social media ban.

The region has seen regimes change overnight, and this has led to the suspicion that something larger may be at play. The Sri Lankan economic crisis led to a change in leadership. The top leadership in the island nation had to flee the country as the protests got violent.

In Pakistan, one got to see the democratically elected government of Imran Khan being ousted. However, this was largely the doing of the Pakistan army. Bangladesh too witnessed a similar development when a massive uprising by the students led to the ouster of a very strong leader, Sheikh Hasina.

There has been a pattern to these protests. These protests began on social media and, in no time, turned into protests against corruption. Like Hasina, Oli, and the Poudel are likely to leave the country. They have been advised by the top security brass to leave the country as there is grave danger to their lives.

With the situation still extremely volatile in the wake of a former Prime Minister’s wife being burnt to death by the protesters, the army is likely to take over the country. Former Nepal Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal’s wife, Rabi Laxmi Chitrakar, passed away after sustaining injuries when their home in Dallu was set on fire amid the ongoing unrest.

This appears to be a clear pattern to target the leadership and enforce regime change. While the real reasons behind the protests are not clear, questions are being asked if there are some foreign elements at play.

Officials say it is too early to tell, and one would have to analyse the situation further before making any comment. However, there is a lot of traction about an external hand behind the unrest.

Despite the government lifting the ban, the protests refused to die. This makes it clear that there was more than just a ban on social media that turned into such a huge issue. The theories of a foreign hand at play in these protests are floating on social media.

“Standard playbook seen dozens of times around the world – young brainwashed people burning down Parliament and residences of top politicians; leaders likely fleeing the country, etc. Now watch an American puppet sworn in as the new leader – just like in Bangladesh, Pakistan,” S L Kanthan, a geopolitical expert, said on his X handle.

Even after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, she had accused the US of orchestrating her removal from power. She said that she had not allowed the US to set up an airbase at St. Martin’s Island.

The events are quite similar to what one witnessed both in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, like Nepal, witnessed sudden protests led by the youth, leading to the ransacking of the top leaders’ homes.

Looting, ransacking, and relaxing at the homes of the top leaders were witnessed both in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. While Sheikh Hasina fled to India, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to flee to the Maldives.

Oli is likely to fly out to Dubai. If one takes the Nepal scenario, there have been tensions simmering since 2008. Power has rotated between Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, a five-time Prime Minister, and Sher Bahadur Deuba. However, there was one thing common among all these leaders, and that was that all of them had been accused of corruption.

This has led to a lot of frustration among the youth who have complained of a lack of jobs and economic stagnation. The situation has been quite fragile, and hence it would not have been hard to engineer something of this magnitude.

Just a few weeks before the app ban, a nepo kid campaign had begun in which the lavish lifestyles of the children of Nepalese politicians were questioned. Nepal has been very unstable and has seen 14 governments, mostly in a coalition, in the last 17 years. This had led to many stating that making Nepal a secular republic had failed, and the monarchy should be restored.

IANS