Education, Science, and Technology Minister Mahavir Pun has appealed to the Gen-Z generation to avoid factionalism and internal conflicts, warning that such behaviors can harm the country. Through a message on social media, he urged young people to learn from history and understand the consequences of divisive politics.
Analyzing Nepal’s political history and its challenges, Minister Pun highlighted the importance of unity for the new generation. He stated:
“Gen-Z, you are a group of young people of a certain age. You do not belong to any political organization. You dream of establishing good governance, eliminating corruption, and making Nepal prosperous. To achieve this dream, unity among you is essential, because I see tendencies of factionalism and infighting even among your generation.”
He emphasized that repeating past mistakes of factionalism would be detrimental to the nation, and urged all young Nepalis to prioritize national interest, development, and sovereignty over personal or group conflicts.
Minister Pun outlined key historical lessons:
- Factionalism during the reign of minor King Ranbahadur Shah escalated over centuries, eventually leading to 104 years of autocratic Rana rule.
- During the Rana period, Prime Minister Bir Shamsher and his successors divided the ruling class into factions (A, B, C) and undermined one another, ultimately weakening the regime until it was overthrown by the 2007 BS (1950 AD) People’s Revolution.
- After the 2007 BS declaration of democracy, elections could not be held until 2015 BS due to internal conflicts among political parties, allowing King Mahendra to delay elections and later introduce the Panchayat system.
- From 2017 BS to 2046 BS, even without formal political parties under the Panchayat system, numerous factions existed, such as the Surya Bahadur Thapa group, Lokendra Bahadur Chand group, and Marichman Singh group, which frequently undermined one another.
- From 2046 BS to the start of the Gen-Z movement in 2082 BS, internal party conflicts and factionalism persisted, which ultimately led the Gen-Z generation, with support from the public, to launch a mass movement against corruption and political dysfunction.
- Minister Pun urged Gen-Z to learn from this history, maintain unity, and focus on good governance, prosperity, and national integrity, rather than repeating the mistakes of factionalism and internal rivalries.
He concluded with a heartfelt request:
“I humbly urge you not to repeat the history of factionalism and infighting in Nepal. Your unity is vital for the future of our motherland.”
– Mahavir Pun
About the Author
