Seeing the luxurious lifestyle of political leaders and their families, Nepali Gen-Gs on TikTok and Reddit asked a simple question, "Where does the tax money we pay go?" To find the answer, Gen-Gs announced that they would be leaving the Maitighar Mandal on the morning of Bhadra 23.

Although it may seem simple on the cover, it was a fundamental question of democracy. And, there was also a youthful curiosity linked to the universal principle of civil rights, ‘No Taxation Without Representation’, that is, the principle that taxes should not be imposed without the representation of citizens. 

Even though representatives were elected through parliamentary elections, there was no real representation of the feelings and aspirations of citizens in Gen-G. And there was also a search for an answer to what and for whom citizens should pay taxes. Along with this, there was also anger about why the government was trying to silence the voice of citizens by shutting down social media. That was all that Gen-G sought on Bhadra 23 on the cover. 

However, accountability and responsibility had long since disappeared from the vocabulary of power. The then government responded by shooting unarmed young students who were peacefully demonstrating in the forehead and chest. As a result, on the morning of Bhadra 24, not only Gen-G took to the streets, but the entire country took to the streets – with the fire of rebellion against the government. This uprising occurred because the state government brought the citizens to the point of saying 'enough is enough'. 

What happened? What remained?

Analysts say – this uprising happened easily. And, the government collapsed within 27 hours. However, it is not easy to accept the reality of the human and material damage that occurred in such a short time. After about a month, this uprising has reached its most complex and difficult stage. There are two brutal questions before it – what exactly happened in this uprising? What will happen now to the demands of Gen-G that were not immediately fulfilled?

Regarding the first question, the uprising has given a historical message that if the government loses its way, a change of power is possible with the direct intervention of the citizens. Due to the uprising, the then Prime Minister was forced to resign. And, the House of Representatives was dissolved. The traditional structure of power was dealt a strong blow. However, a change of government and the dissolution of parliament were not the only goals of this uprising. The questions raised on the streets and social media were focused on structural reforms, political accountability, and the practice of citizen supremacy. 

The formation of an interim civilian government, the establishment of an independent judicial inquiry commission, and the beginning of action against political leaders who escaped legal proceedings through access have given a glimpse of the beginning of a new democratic practice. This uprising has also ushered in a new era of political consciousness. The political debate seen after the uprising has clearly indicated that youth leadership has now become active in universities, social media, local levels, and civil society. 

During this uprising, the issue of changing the form of governance and amending the constitution also came to the fore. While the executive has been displaced and the legislature has been dissolved, the remnants of the old regime remain in the judiciary. The uprising has not been able to do anything immediately in the Constitutional Commission and the bureaucracy. The structure that supports the old regime remains in bodies including the Constitutional and Judicial Councils.

The Gen-G uprising was against all of these. There are examples in other countries of the world where rebels have seized power and displaced the constitution, legal system, and the entire state system. However, that did not happen in the Gen-G uprising in Nepal. The rebels negotiated with the President under the Constitution of Nepal and agreed to hold elections for a new House of Representatives under this Constitution. Therefore, it is now impossible to amend the Constitution immediately. The door to changes that can come from other law amendments and good governance measures through ordinances is open.

What now?

The changes sought by Gen-G are vast, immense. Now the only way to implement the constitutional changes sought by Gen-G is through elections. However, the sacrifice of 76 people in the rebellion was not just for one election. For what? The only way to implement that is through elections. Elections are not an end, they are a means. Whatever changes Gen-G wants, they want to get approved by the people by creating an electoral agenda. There is no alternative to elections to establish citizen supremacy.

The parliamentary structure, administrative process, judicial system and digital rights are all linked to the practice of citizen supremacy. If the people remain aware, organized and active, not only the government, but also the old political and administrative structures should be forced to reform. This awareness is becoming the basis for a new political and social transformation in Nepal after the Gen-G rebellion. Now Nepal is divided into two parts of history, before and after the Gen-G rebellion.