I once asked Nepal’s first president, Ram Baran Yadav, why he often described himself as “a buffalo-herding person who became president.” He explained that it symbolized the republic’s promise: that any ordinary Nepali could rise to leadership and participate in government.
His presidency carried its own symbolic importance as Nepal’s first Madhesi president. Today, with Balendra Shah as the Prime Minister, many young people see another symbol of change — one shaped by frustration with traditional political leadership and old political practices.
But change brings both hope and criticism. Supporters of republican values criticize Balen for avoiding formal government procedures, from leaving policy discussions midway to missing regular briefings with the president. His supporters argue that results matter more than formalities, especially when past governments followed every procedure yet failed to deliver meaningful change. Those failures, in many ways, fueled last year’s Gen Z protests.
The protests were not a sudden outburst. They reflected years of frustration over political unaccountability, unemployment, and broken promises. At the same time, some protesters vandalized public property, attacked government offices, and engaged in violence — actions that cannot be justified. Violence against police officers and public officials weakened the legitimacy of peaceful protest.
Still, acknowledging this should not prevent difficult questions from being asked. Many students and young people lost their lives, while others were injured. Their families still await clear answers. Instead of accountability, public debate has often shifted toward conspiracy theories about foreign influence. Even if outside actors played a role, the government remained responsible for handling the situation without excessive violence.
At the same time, the suffering of police personnel must also be recognized. Many officers were seriously injured or killed while carrying out their duties. Their pain cannot be ignored, and those responsible for attacking them must also face accountability.
In any republic — especially one built on sacrifice — the deaths of students, civilians, and police officers should never become normal political events forgotten within weeks. A state that cannot answer for the deaths of its youth risks losing the trust of an entire generation.
The two commissions formed to investigate the protests have failed to build public confidence. The Gauri Bahadur Karki Commission was criticized for not adequately investigating the September 9 incidents, while the National Human Rights Commission report faced criticism for overlooking events from September 8 and for several technical shortcomings. When justice is delayed or unclear, trust in government slowly erodes.
A government succeeds only when institutions and public aspirations move together. Perhaps this Republic Day should not only remind us how Nepal became a republic, but also force us to ask whether the republic has fulfilled the promises it made to its people.
