10th September 2025, Kathmandu
In a dramatic twist to the ongoing political negotiations, Gen-Z activist Raksha Bam has revealed that she and her fellow protestors walked out of a high-stakes meeting at the Army Headquarters.
Raksha Bam Statement
The walkout came after Chief of Army Staff Ashokraj Sigdel proposed that they include businessman Durga Prasai and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in their discussions, a suggestion Bam stated would “dishonor the sacrifices” of the Gen-Z movement.
The revelation, made through a statement on her Facebook page, provides a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes efforts to mediate the national crisis.
The Gen-Z movement, known for its decentralized and leaderless nature, has been at the forefront of the recent protests that have rocked the country, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and a period of intense political uncertainty.
The Nepali Army, a key institution of state stability, has been acting as a facilitator, urging all sides to come to the negotiating table.
According to Bam, the Army Chief’s proposal to include Durga Prasai and the Rastriya Swatantra Party as “stakeholders” was the deal-breaker.
“After the Army Chief himself said: ‘Meet the President and then hold talks with Durga Prasai and the RSP group, as they too are stakeholders,’ we rejected that proposal,” she wrote.
For the Gen-Z activists, who see their movement as a fundamental break from the old political guard, accepting such a proposal would be a betrayal of their core principles.
Durga Prasai is a controversial businessman who has been leading a separate pro-monarchy and anti-federalism campaign. The Rastriya Swatantra Party, while a newer political force, is also seen by many Gen-Z protestors as part of the establishment they are fighting against, despite its populist appeal.
By walking out, Bam and her colleagues have sent a clear message: their movement is not a political pawn to be used by old or new political players, and they will not compromise on their demand for a complete overhaul of the political system.
Bam clarified the nature of their initial visit to the Army Headquarters on Tuesday. She explained that they had not gone with a list of demands but rather to inform the Army Chief that they needed more time to prepare a single, unified document.
“We, the representatives of Gen-Z protestors from all 77 districts, will work together on a single joint document.
We will unite to present our demands, reach out to everyone, and within a few days, appear before the President and the Army Chief with a consolidated set of demands representing all,” she wrote.
This highlights the painstaking process the decentralized movement is undertaking to consolidate its voice and present a cohesive front.
The activist also detailed a subsequent meeting on Wednesday, where she and others again walked out. This second departure occurred when the talks began to deviate from the “core essence” of the Gen-Z movement.
This repeated refusal to compromise demonstrates the group’s steadfastness and their commitment to a radical, transformative change rather than a superficial one.
Raksha Bam’s statement is also an important acknowledgment of the decentralized nature of the movement. She explicitly noted that the Gen-Z movement has no single leader and is instead led by various groups.
This disclaimer, “I am completely unaware of the views or positions of the Gen-Z friends who are currently in talks,” is a critical point. It signifies that the movement’s strength lies in its collective power, not in a single figure, and that any attempt to co-opt it through individual representatives is likely to fail.
The Gen-Z movement’s primary demands, as expressed in various public forums, include the dissolution of Parliament, constitutional reform, and a thorough investigation into corruption.
By rejecting the Army Chief’s proposal, they are signaling that they will not settle for a resolution that simply rearranges the current political pieces.
They are pushing for a new political framework entirely, one that they believe will genuinely represent the will of the people and address the deep-seated grievances that sparked the protests in the first place.
The coming days will reveal whether the Army and other state actors will adjust their strategy in response to the Gen-Z movement’s firm stance.
The chasm between the traditional power brokers and the new generation of activists has become increasingly clear, and it remains uncertain how this gap can be bridged.
Raksha Bam’s bold action, and the principles she has articulated, have set a clear line in the sand, underscoring that for Nepal’s youth, this is not just a political protest—it is a fight for the nation’s future.
For more: Raksha Bam Statement