Kathmandu, September 10, 2025
Nepal today stands at a crossroads where institutions burn, not by accident, but as symbols of political manipulation and betrayal. For Mayor Balen Shah, Singha Durbar became the battlefield. For Rabi Lamichhane, it was the Supreme Court. For corruption, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority was set ablaze. For foreign influence, the Administrative Building fell. For criminals, prisons burned. Even Prime Minister Prachanda saw his rivals KP Oli and Sher Bahadur Deuba pushed aside in the flames of political advantage.
Yet beneath these fires lies the real tragedy: Gen-Z, who marched into the streets with hope, demanding a system of fairness, accountability, and justice, now watch as their sacrifice is hijacked by larger powers. For the release of one leader, thousands of criminals were set free. Singha Durbar burning before the Army Headquarters did not mark a victory for justice - it marked the exploitation of youth who gave their lives believing in change.
In the ashes lies our dream of a better Nepal. What burned was not only the physical symbol of state power, but the very evidence that could have brought the corrupt to justice. The fire did not just consume buildings - it consumed our tomorrow.
Gen-Z’s struggle was meant to cleanse the system. Instead, it became a tool in the hands of those very forces they fought against. The nation is left with a haunting question: when the dreams of its youth turn to ashes, who truly benefits?
