A single domino, pushed by a careless government hand, has set off a chain reaction of chaos and violence in Nepal. The ban on social media was that first domino, and its fall has toppled public trust, civic order, and political stability in a stunningly rapid sequence of events.
The dominoes were already precariously aligned, waiting for a push. The first was the wobbly foundation of the economy, particularly the 20% youth unemployment rate that left a generation on unstable ground. These young people felt disconnected from the state and had little reason to support the status quo, making them a volatile element in the political equation.
The next domino in the line was the public’s crumbling faith in its institutions. Years of unchecked corruption and blatant nepotism had created a deep-seated belief that the government was illegitimate and self-serving. This toxic perception meant that any controversial government action would be viewed through a lens of extreme suspicion and hostility.
The decision to ban social media was the push that started the cascade. It struck the already alienated youth and was immediately interpreted as an act of oppression by a corrupt elite. This one move connected all the latent grievances, causing the dominoes of frustration, anger, and dissent to fall in rapid succession, culminating in a full-blown political crisis.