'Suspicious toolkit': PM Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal shares shocking similarity in Nepal, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka protests

Amid violent demonstrations sweeping Nepal, former Principal Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal has suggested that recent student-led uprisings in South Asia may be following a “suspiciously similar” playbook. Sanyal is currently a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).

Drawing parallels between the current turmoil in Nepal and past protests in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, Sanyal remarked on X (formerly Twitter): “Irrespective of what one thinks of PM Oli’s regime or his future, the same toolkit gets used suspiciously often in the neighbourhood. We saw students being used as fodder in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and more recently in Indonesia. It does raise the question of how ‘organic’ these things are.”

Meanwhile, unrest escalated across Nepal on Tuesday as protesters torched Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s private residence in Balkot, ruling party offices, and other political establishments. The Himalayan Times reported that demonstrators also targeted the central office of the Nepali Congress in Sanepa and vandalized the homes of senior leaders including NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba.



The protests—driven largely by Gen Z activists—intensified after the deaths of 19 demonstrators on Monday. Clashes left more than 200 people injured, with reports of bullet wounds despite official claims that live ammunition had not been authorized. Police used tear gas to control crowds, while the Nepali Army was deployed to secure the Tribhuvan International Airport, which has been shut down due to the violence.

According to The Kathmandu Post, protesters also attacked the homes of Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswo Paudel, and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.

The immediate trigger for the unrest was a government-imposed social media ban, which was lifted late Monday night. However, the protests have since evolved into a wider movement against alleged corruption and political mismanagement.

In response, Prime Minister Oli convened an all-party meeting on Tuesday evening and appealed for calm:
“I am in dialogue with the relevant parties to assess the situation and find a meaningful conclusion. I humbly request all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation.”