As violent protests led by Gen Z protestors over social media ban and rampant corruption sweep across Nepal, a parallel narrative has gained momentum. The ongoing youth-driven agitation against the Nepalese Government has given rise to anti-India sentiment. The name at the center of it all is Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah. His actions and statements have positioned him as a nationalist voice that questions India’s position in Nepal. From banning Indian films screening in Nepal’s capital to being an opponent of KP Sharma Oli, Shah has been an Anti-Indian face.
Balendra Shah – Mayor Who Redrew ‘Akhand’ Battlelines
Highly vocal and sympathetic to the notion of ‘Greater Nepal’, the rapper-turned-mayor Balendra redrew the ‘Akhand’ battlelines. In 2023, he installed a map of Greater Nepal at his office. The map was a subtle rebuttal to PM Narendra Modi’s Akhand Bharat mural in the new Parliament building that depicts certain territory of the Himalayan nation, Bangladesh, and Pakistan as part of India. The new map purportedly covered the areas of East Teesta to West Kangra, which are Indian territories. Mayor Shah’s move could be viewed as an aggressive nationalist stance.
A Leading Figure Among Gen Z Of Nepal
Today, Balendra Shah is emerging as a leading political figure and a preferred candidate among the Gen Z of Nepal. The 35-year-old Shah, who often engages with the youth via his reels, has served as Kathmandu’s 15th mayor since May 2022. At this time, when many view him as a bold political figure poised to become the Himalayan Nation’s Next Prime Minister, Shah’s victory could have adverse implications for India. His open endorsement of Gen Z in Nepal sends a clear message. A central figure who says, “Dear Gen Z, your demand for the resignation of the government has been met. Now it is time to remain restrained,” amidst the ongoing protests, cements his role in escalating tensions.
In such a situation, several questions arise: What’s next if Balen Shah becomes the new Prime Minister of Nepal? Will India-Nepal relations change after Shah is elected as the new PM of the Himalayan Nation? Will his victory carry negative consequences for India?
Shah’s Role Behind Hindi Film Adipurush’s Controversy
While it is true that the ongoing violence in Nepal is not directly tied to Shah, the fact that he was the very leader who objected to the Hindi film ‘Adipurush’ two years ago is difficult to ignore. During that time, he threatened to ban Indian films in the city. He demanded that Adipurush makers remove the line referencing Goddess Sita as the ‘daughter of India’.
With his controversial political stance, he not only increasingly drew New Delhi’s attention but also found expression among the younger generation. When the Nepal court lifted a ban on the film Adipurush, Shah described the court and the ruling government as both the slaves of India. In a social media post, he had stated that the court’s decision in favour of screening the movie means accepting that Nepal was once under India’s rule and that it clearly shows India’s ill intention.
What If Shah becomes Nepal’s New PM? – Impact On India
Balendra Shah, also known as Balen or Balen Shah, is the 15th Mayor of Kathmandu. He is a rapper with a civil engineering professional degree, who scripted history by winning the election as an independent candidate in 2022. One of the striking facts about Shah is that he pursued structural engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University in Karnataka. Considering Shah’s ties to India and being a powerful leader who speaks of freedom and transparency, there is a possibility that he can help strengthen trade and diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring countries. It is equally true that India also needs a diplomatically stable neighbour and stronger leadership in the region, as Nepal has time and again championed instability.
Nepal – World Champion Of Instability
Another government has fallen amid chaos and protests in Nepal – the 30th in 35 years. If Balendra succeeds in providing stable leadership, it will be easier for India to deal with a credible Himalayan government that does not fall amid political blunders. Since the abolition of the monarchy in 2008, the government of Nepal has changed at least 14 times. No government has been able to complete a full five-year tenure.
Will The Kathmandu Mayor Be India’s New Ally Or Emerging Threat?
In May 2017, Nepal and China officially signed the Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation framework during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China. The agreement paved the way for Beijing to make major inroads in Nepal. If Balendra leans left after becoming Nepal’s New Prime Minister, he may strongly act against India’s wishes and interests. But what if he tries to strike a balance despite political differences with India? Well, in that case, India and Nepal can potentially be strategic partners.
However, it is difficult to ignore that Shah increasingly tried to set a narrative over the past few years that India interferes in Nepal’s affairs. The Kathmandu Mayor had also met the US Ambassador in February last year, which may be perceived as a diplomatic backdrop for India in the future, especially at a time when US President Donald Trump has locked horns with New Delhi by imposing a 50% tariff.
India and Nepal have signed many agreements in the past. After becoming the New Nepalese PM, if Balen cancels the 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the relationship between the neighboring countries will become strained. At present, India needs to be extremely careful regarding New Delhi’s relations with Nepal.
Who Is Balendra Shah?
Rapper-turned-Mayor, Balendra Shah, has brought important reforms to Kathmandu during his tenure – this is what many people in Nepal believe. He cleaned roads and made sidewalks safer for pedestrians, improved monitoring of government schools, and enforced strict control on private schools that avoided paying taxes. His biggest strengths are his clean image and zero-tolerance policy against corruption.
In 2023, Time Magazine included him in its list of Top 100 Emerging Leaders, and global media, including the New York Times, have praised him as well. He is especially popular among young people, making him a symbol of new hope in Nepal’s politics.
About Nepal Protests
An increasingly fierce protest, led by Gen Z, erupted on Monday, August 8, with demands to lift the ban on social media platforms and government corruption. The political turmoil has led to the deaths of as many as 19 people, and more than 300 people were injured.
As authorities struggled to regain control, party offices, political leaders’ residences, and multiple state buildings were set ablaze by enraged Gen Z protesters. The demonstrators vandalised and set fire to outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s private residence in Balkot, Bhaktapur. President Ram Chandra Paudel’s private residence in Kathmandu was also vandalised, and parts of the property were set ablaze. Both the Prime Minister and the President resigned today amid ongoing violent protests across Nepal.
