Nepal Protests: Democracy Unravels in South Asia

Once sanctified by Lincoln as rule by the people, democracy in South Asia risks hollowing into mere slogans—leaving voters powerless, elites entrenched, and a restless Generation Next impatient for instant gains.

By MANISH ANAND

NEW DELHI, September 10, 2025 — Nepal, amid burning official complexes and assaults on political leadership, has spelled out the true meaning of anarchy that rises on the graves of a failed democracy. Since 2008, when parliamentary democracy returned in the Himalayan nation, Nepal has been a case of a ransacked democratic laboratory.

South Asia with exception of India has turned into a melting pot for democracy disconnected with the people. Politico-bureaucratic complexes in troubled South Asian nations with military heads partaking the gains face onslaught of popular anger.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan languishes in a jail. Social media fans stories of Pakistani Army putting Khan on slow poison.

Khalida Zia had been ageing in a jail until a gust of youth protests in Dhaka uprooted Sheikh Hasina’s regime in Bangladesh. Gotabaya Rajapaksa had spread family tentacles in Sri Lanka until a popular movement forced the clan to fly out of the island nation.

Cunning politicians of Nepal milked geopolitics fault lines for their gains. Half of the political class of Nepal submitted to China’s deep pocket bribery. Others also partook in the gains.

Democracy in Nepal was reduced to a joke. Governments were formed in dramatic turns of events. They also collapsed with no rhyme and reason.

Cosmetic democracy keeps powerful politico-bureaucratic-military complexes running in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. But small South Asian nations have revealed that the military could turn impotent in the face of the youth rampaging the street.

In Bangladesh, mobocracy replaced democracy. Sri Lanka was lucky, for democratic elections held grounds to bring stability. Brute military power alone foisted a political leadership in Pakistan, which lacks popular support. Nepal faces ugly turn of fate with the likelihood of mobocracy taking power.

Democracy’s imperfections are stark. Lack of checks and balances are too ominous in neo-democracies. Risks of powerful trampling institutions are evident.

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Speech that sanctified democracy as a rule by the people has been cosmetically turned into slogans used by politicians to make the people vote in elections. The people after voting often feel that they’re a powerless lot, exploited by entrenched class.

If the imperfections are not weeded out, the street will boil and melt. ‘Generation Next’ seems not interested in thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela. It swears on instant gratifications.

(This is an opinion piece, and views expressed are those of the author only)

Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save

About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

See author's posts