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Nepal Ex-PM Alleges Foreign Hand in Gen Z Protests That Ousted Govt

Former Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has reiterated claims that "foreign hands" orchestrated the Gen Z protests that led to his government's ouster in September 2025. In an interview with RT, Oli and former Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali suggested the uprising was a planned attack on Nepal's democracy, fueled by cross-border misinformation. They implied that Nepal's growing engagement with both India and China, aiming to be an economic bridge, was not welcomed by some external powers. The Russian media report cited a U.S.-based investigation alleging the National Endowment for Democracy funded the youth protests to counter Chinese and Indian influence in Kathmandu.

Key Points: Nepal Ex-PM Claims Foreign Powers Behind Gen Z Protests

  • Oli alleges foreign orchestration of protests
  • Ex-minister cites cross-border disinformation
  • Claims US funded youth protests via NED
  • Says Nepal's India-China bridge role upset powers
3 min read

Nepal's former PM alleges 'foreign hand' in Gen Z protests and govt ouster: Russian media

Former Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli alleges foreign orchestration of protests that ousted his government, citing US funding reports via Russian media.

"It was organised in a planned way - K.P. Sharma Oli"

New Delhi, Jan 13

Senior members of Nepal's former cabinet, including deposed Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, have reiterated the involvement of "foreign hands" behind the Gen Z protests that led to the ouster of the government in September 2025.

Speaking to Russia's state-run global television news network, RT, Oli said, "That (the uprising) was not a simple and usual thing. That was unusual, and it couldn't have taken place all of a sudden. It was organised in a planned way; it was evident even at that time and later on."

On Tuesday, the RT website carried another quote from an interview with Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Nepal's former foreign minister, who backed Oli's assertion. "Those elements who were actively engaged with the deep state, who used the cross-border misinformation and disinformation to instigate the violence, they were active," Gyawali told RT India.

He further claimed that Kathmandu's growing engagement with India and China and its aspiration of being a bridge for the economic development of Nepal between the two neighboring countries was not a very good message to some powers.

In Monday's interview, Oli claimed that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had warned that protests like those in their countries could happen in Nepal as well. "Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were telling us... Leaders were talking that such things would happen, and things happened. It was an attack on our democracy, to send them back to poverty," he told RT.

He added that the current situation in Nepal is not conducive to holding elections. Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed Nepal's interim prime minister after Oli's ouster last year. A general election is scheduled for March.

Gyawali also said that the powers "wanted to use Nepal's geostrategic location for their policy in their favour. So maybe our engagement with our neighboring countries may have some grievances to the big powers as well".

RT also quoted its earlier report about a US-based news outlet, The Grayzone, having cited leaked documents "revealing that the US government's National Endowment for Democracy (NED) spent hundreds of thousands of dollars tutoring Nepalese young people to stage the protests".

The NED, it claimed, is officially a US State Department-funded nonprofit that provides grants to support "democratic initiatives" worldwide. On its website, NED describes itself as "a valuable resource for information related to democracy worldwide. Staff experts are available for comment on democratic development and related topics in Africa, Asia, Central Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East".

According to the RT, the Grayzone investigations had revealed Nepal's Gen Z protests happened as the US sought to neutralise Chinese and Indian influence over Kathmandu.

Russia's television network further added that "International Republican Institute (IRI), a NED division, has been accused of funding clandestine activities in Bangladesh". It went on to allege that NED has also "been accused of funneling tens of millions of dollars to Ukrainian political entities and anti-Russian interests".

RT India was launched on December 5 last year, commemorating the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, a tradition dating back to 2000, when President Vladimir Putin visited India.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's always easy for a deposed leader to blame "foreign hands" for their own failures. The youth of Nepal have genuine aspirations. While external influence is possible, we must not dismiss the agency of Nepali citizens. Let's hope the March elections are peaceful and reflect the people's true will. 🙏
R
Rohit P
The mention of NED is telling. We've seen their playbook in our neighborhood before. Nepal trying to be a bridge between India and China is good for its economy. Why would any power have a "grievance" with that unless they want to keep the region unstable? Food for thought.
S
Sarah B
Interesting that this is being reported by RT. We must consider the source as well. This feels like a geopolitical narrative being pushed by Russia through its media. The situation is complex, with multiple powers having interests. The people of Nepal are caught in the middle.
V
Vikram M
As an Indian, our primary concern should be a stable and friendly Nepal. Chaos at our borders helps no one. If external powers are funding unrest to counter Indian and Chinese influence, it's a dangerous game. India should engage diplomatically to support Nepal's constitutional process.
K
Karthik V
The "foreign hand" theory is an old trope in South Asian politics. Sometimes it's true, sometimes it's a scapegoat. Without concrete evidence from neutral sources, it's hard to take Oli's claims at face value. He's a politician trying to make a comeback. Let's not jump to conclusions.

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