Kathmandu, Oct 9: Leaders from Nepal’s civil society have called for an immediate transfer of leadership within major political parties, questioning their role in the growing instability that followed the Gen Z-led protests.

In a joint appeal issued on Wednesday, 23 prominent civil society members urged the leadership of political parties to hand over power “without delay.” The statement said parties that once championed the federal democratic republic are now losing public trust because of their internal lack of democracy, tolerance for corruption, and obsession with staying in power at any cost.

“The parties must accept the reality that they have become targets of public outrage,” the appeal said. “They should reflect on their past mistakes, seek forgiveness from the people, strengthen internal democracy, and establish a system of accountable, decentralized, and collective leadership.”

The signatories said the current crisis stems from the leadership’s behavior and ideological confusion, warning that only a change at the top can help parties regain public confidence and protect the constitution. “To meet the demands of the time, revive the parties, and increase youth participation in politics, the first-generation leaders must now take the initiative to step aside,” the appeal stated.

It further said that the political forces which played a role in Nepal’s political and social transformation must now address the people’s concerns by ensuring the peaceful transition of leadership. The appeal stressed that such a step is now “urgent and unavoidable” to restore faith in the federal democratic republic and its constitution.

The statement also welcomed the interim government’s commitment to addressing the legitimate demands of the young generation within constitutional limits. It said this recognition of the Gen Z movement’s relevance was a positive step.

At the same time, the signatories condemned the violent turn of the protests due to infiltration, as well as the government’s brutal suppression and subsequent acts of chaos. They demanded an independent investigation and action against those responsible.

“We appreciate the interim government’s commitment to fulfilling the legitimate demands of the Gen Z youth, who represented the broader public sentiment against corruption and for good governance,” the appeal said. “But we strongly condemn the infiltration that turned the movement violent, the excessive use of force by the state, and the anarchic incidents that followed.”

They also urged authorities to investigate incidents of looting, arson, and attacks on private homes, government buildings, political party offices, courts, media houses, and industries. The statement called for legal action against those responsible for violence, including killings by security forces.

The appeal further warned the government to immediately investigate and begin legal proceedings against individuals accused of corruption.

Signatories to the appeal include Lokraj Baral, Ganeshman Gurung, Ratnasansar Shrestha, Upendra Koirala, Sushil Pyakurel, Chandeshwar Shrestha, Kanak Dixit, Renu Adhikari, and Sharad Wanta. Others include Mahesh Maske, Parshuram Tamang, Shankar Subedi, Jhalak Subedi, Kundan Aryal, Tikaram Bhattarai, Shobhakar Budhathoki, Usha Jha, Geeta Tripathi, Radhika Khatriwada, Bhagirath Chaudhary, Rajendra Maharjan, Churna Bahadur Chaudhary, and Bindu Sharma.

People’s News Monitoring Service