As Nepal grapples with the aftermath of youth-led protests, anger continues to mount over corruption and elite privilege that many young people blame for siphoning off the wealth of their nation.
Central to the young people’s outrage is the very public lifestyle of “nepo kids”, children of powerful political figures who, protesters say, enjoy ostentatious lifestyles due to nepotism while the majority of Nepalis struggle.
Protesters have tied their anger over “Nepo Kids” to a broader culture of corruption and nepotism, highlighting that Nepal’s political class has prioritised tribal loyalties, family connections, and elite networks over merit and public service.
While not linked to any single scandal, families of powerful leaders like KP Sharma Oli, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ are frequently mentioned in public discourse and online forums as symbols of entrenched privilege.
Protesters argue that this elite class enjoys disproportionate access to power, resources, and foreign opportunities while the rest of the population struggles with unemployment and inequality.
While the “nepo kids” narrative dominates online protests, other recent scandals have reinforced public frustration with elite impunity.
What are protesters saying online?
The “nepo kid” trend has gone viral across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and local Nepali apps, where young people are using memes, videos, and protest slogans to call out privilege and corruption.
Hashtags like #NepoKids, #ByeNepoBabies, #CorruptionFreeNepal, and #EnoughIsEnough have surged across TikTok and Instagram, with users sharing videos that mock political dynasties, expose elite privilege, or call for systemic reform.
A widely shared TikTok clip, cited by the Kathmandu Post, summed up the sentiment: “Nepo Kids show off their lifestyle on Instagram and TikTok, but never explain where the money comes from.”
Another viral slogan seen on placards and echoed in videos, reported by India Today, reads: “Our taxes, their luxury... We pay, you flex.”
Perhaps the most striking line emerged from the protests, where one placard, captured in media coverage, declared: “Leaders’ children come home from abroad with Gucci bags, while the people’s children lie in coffins.”
This stark message alluded to reports of young Nepalis dying on foreign soil, having been recruited to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war on behalf of the Russian army.
The anger behind these slogans is rooted in Nepal’s grim realities. Youth unemployment has remained alarmingly high—over 20 percent in 2024 and continuing into 2025—amid economic stagnation, corruption, and scarce opportunities. Each year, more than half a million young Nepalis migrate abroad in search of work, often ending up in insecure or exploitative jobs.
Against this backdrop of desperation, thousands have been enticed into joining the Russian army, drawn by promises of wages up to ten times higher than Nepal’s average, facilitated by illegal trafficking networks despite a government ban on such recruitment since early 2024.
The consequences have been devastating: by mid-2025, at least 40 Nepali recruits had died in combat, their bodies returning home in coffins—fueling grief, outrage, and calls for accountability, as Kathmandu presses Moscow to halt the enlistments and repatriate its citizens.
On Reddit, frustration was echoed in posts suggesting that taxpayer money appears to fund the luxury cars, foreign education, and flashy lifestyle of political families while the average Nepali youth is forced to work menial jobs overseas.
Still, some voices have cautioned against personal attacks.
One TikTok user, quoted in the Kathmandu Post, warned that “it is unfair for children to be punished for their parents’ mistakes,” adding that such trends could affect their personal lives.
Despite this, the dominant tone online has been one of growing impatience with privilege, and a call for transparency, meritocracy, and systemic reform.
The protests gained momentum after the government banned 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit, on grounds of compliance issues. Nepo kids have used the same platforms to show off their fancy bags and expensive vacations.
