‘There is a Mastermind’: Face Of Nepal Protest’s Biggest Disclosure On The Uprising And Violence

Kathmandu, Sep 11: In his first interview since being shot in the face and chest during Nepal’s ongoing protests, Ashutosh Basnet, widely seen as the face of the Gen Z-led movement, has made major disclosures in an exclusive conversation with Republic.

Speaking openly, Basnet confirmed that the protests were infiltrated, that a mastermind was behind the unrest, and that corruption triggered the youth uprising.

“Corruption Has Been Going On for Many Years”

Basnet described the roots of the movement as a reaction to long-standing political mismanagement.

“Corruption has been going on for many years and the recent protest was an outburst of the same. A new trend is out there — we just went after Nepo kids, like in Indonesia. We GenZs decided Sept 8 to stage protest. Ban on social media acted as a trigger,” he said.

He explained that around 30,000 students gathered outside Parliament to protest on September 8. “On Sept 8, our protest was going very peacefully. Once we reached the Parliament, violence erupted. Police fired at us and I was hit,” Basnet recalled.

Inspired by Indonesian Unrest

The youth leader stressed that the protests drew inspiration from international movements. “Our protests were inspired by Indonesian unrest. We just went after nepo kids, like in Indonesia,” he noted, linking the anger to politicians’ children and misuse of taxpayer money.

“Anger was against politicians who stole my parents’ taxpayer money,” Basnet told Republic.

Infiltration and Criminal Elements

One of the most significant points Basnet made was about infiltration.

“Yes, some people took advantage of the protests. Some took advantage, criminals infiltrated the protest,” he revealed.

According to him, the violence was sparked by outsiders. “Violence ignited by people who weren’t there, they infiltrated,” he added.

“There is a Mastermind”

The most striking disclosure from Basnet’s interview was his claim about unseen forces driving the unrest.

“Not sure who the mastermind is, but there is a mastermind,” he stated.

He elaborated on how coordination occurred: “Some influencers brought people together, they helped plan it. They asked people to gather at a specific place and time. Place was fixed, time was fixed — students just had to gather.”

Political Names and Support

Basnet clarified that the protesters were not connected to former Chief Justice Sushila Karki until her name surfaced recently. “None of us know who Sushila Karki was, until yesterday,” he said.

However, he confirmed moral backing from Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen). “Balen Shah, Kathmandu Mayor gave us moral support,” Basnet said.

He also drew comparisons with other regional protest patterns: “Seeing a pattern similar to Bangladesh on how things unfolded.”

Rising Toll of Protests

The protests, which began on September 8 following the government’s ban on major social media platforms, have since turned violent. According to The Kathmandu Post, the death toll in the Kathmandu Valley has reached 31, with more than 1,000 people injured.

Officials at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital confirmed 25 victims have been identified, while six remain unidentified.

Former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s wife, Ravi Laxmi Chitrakar, is in critical condition after demonstrators set fire to their Kathmandu residence. She suffered severe burn injuries and is undergoing treatment at Kirtipur Hospital.