Will Protests Like Nepal’s Happen in India?

The recent protests in Nepal have shaken the political atmosphere in South Asia. People took to the streets over economic problems, unemployment, and perceived government neglect. Youth, students, and ordinary citizens raised their voices together. That development prompts a question in many Indian minds: “Could similar protests happen in our country?”

The reality is that India’s situation is quite different from Nepal’s. India is a large country—not only geographically vast, but also extremely diverse in population. Languages, cultures, religions, castes, and lifestyles vary widely, so it is almost impossible for the entire nation to move in a single direction over one issue. A problem that matters deeply in one state may be irrelevant in another. What one region sees as wrong, another may see as right. This diversity is our strength, but it also acts as a brake on large-scale, nationwide protests.

Three things draw most Indian attention: films, religion, and caste. Entertainment—films, sports, and social media—often becomes a temporary intoxication for people. Religious sentiments frequently polarize society. Religious issues evoke stronger emotions than many social problems. Rivalries and divisions between castes reduce the chances of people uniting on the same front. As a result, civic pressure that could seriously challenge governments is weakened.

Everyday life in India also discourages protest culture. Struggles for employment, family responsibilities, children’s futures, and debts keep people focused on their private lives. The attitude “we voted in the elections, that’s our part done” is widespread.

That said, it would be wrong to claim there are no movements in India. Student protests, farmers’ agitations, labor struggles, and civic protests do happen. But it is rare for such movements to become broad-based and long-lasting. Most protests remain regional or confined to caste/class interests. It is therefore difficult to create a movement that applies enough pressure nationwide to force governments to yield.

Indians generally have faith in democracy, but the courage to use it effectively has diminished. Beliefs such as “the government will do something” combined with apathy—“there’s nothing we can do”—have weakened the spirit of questioning. If this continues, democracy itself will lose strength.

So, large-scale protests like those in Nepal are unlikely in India. The country’s size, social diversity, religious and caste divisions, and everyday survival pressures together act as obstacles to nationwide uprisings. Yet this should be read as a warning: to keep democracy strong, citizens must revive the habit of questioning power. Simply voting in elections is not enough; constant vigilance and holding governments accountable in everyday life is true civic duty.

There is no need to create violent street chaos or dramatic uprisings. Even the mere fear among officials that people are watching and will hold them accountable should guide governance. But what is worrying is the confidence among some leaders that making people hysterical is easy—say a few seductive words and they will follow. That is how much of Indian politics works now: leaders trust that people will behave accordingly, and people’s behavior often matches that expectation.