Banbasa (Uttarakhand), Sept 08 :
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured on Monday as violent demonstrations led by youths against the banning of several social media platforms.
Nepal has erupted in an uproar over its Ministry of Information and Communication Technology banning 26 foreign social media platforms including including Facebook, X and YouTube, and even WhatsApp, saying that the companies had failed to register and submit to government oversight.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu, on Monday to vent their anger against the decision. The people are agitated as the decision has radically disrupted the fairly cheap communication facility these sites provide.
These 26 sites had failed to register with the government during the given deadline following a Supreme Court order on regulating online platforms and monitoring their content.
The platforms that have been banned include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, YouTube, X, Reddit, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Discord, Pinterest, Signal,
At Least 15 Dead as
Threads, WeChat, Quora, Tumblr, Clubhouse, Rumble, Line, Imo, Jalo, Hamro Patro, Mi Video, Mi Vike3 and Sol. Those that continue include TikTok, Viber, Wetalk, Nimbuzz, Telegram and Global Diary.
ETV Bharat team reached out to a cross-section of Nepalese citizens, who said that the people want the government to reconsider its decision that has left them uncomfortable.
Residents of the Gaddha Chowki area of Kanchanpur district, on the western tip of Nepal that borders Banbasa in India’s Uttarakhand state, said that Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube, along with several other apps are the main means of virtual communication in Nepal.
They are facing problems after the closure of the 26 platforms. Even the businessmen who have been carrying out business with Indian counterparts are being affected, as they are unable to contact them.
One of the Nepalese citizens, Manmohan Pant, said, “Due to the ban on the foreign social sites, calling abroad is costing us Rs 8 per minute. This is putting the people under a financial burden. Apart from this, the regular contact with relatives in India, with whom we have relations, has also stopped.”
Nepalese citizen Ganesh Sunara pointed out, “Many students or residents of Nepal living in other countries, including India, cannot be contacted frequently, as contacting them has become very expensive. The people of Nepal have demanded that their government reconsider this decision so that they can contact their loved ones at a very cheap rate.”
Another resident, Gopal Karki, said that the impact of the decision of the Nepal government is clearly visible on the ground. “Although the people of Nepal may not use all the banned apps but they are uncomfortable with the decision,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Kathmandu, protesters pushed through concertina wires as they surrounded the Parliament building, after which police fired tear gas and water cannon. The situation continues to remain tense with the government announcing a curfew for Monday around Parliament, the government secretariat, the presidential house and several parts of the city.
