Who is Sushila Karki, the choice of GenZs set to lead Nepal's interim govt?

Known for her anti-corruption stance, Sushila Karki is set to head the interim government after KP Sharma Oli's resignation amid nationwide protests in Nepal

Nepal’s former chief justice Sushila Karki, known for her zero-tolerance stance on corruption, has been nominated by the GenZ protesters to lead the interim government following KP Sharma Oli’s resignation as prime minister amid widespread protests.

Who is Sushila Karki?

Born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Nepal, Karki became the country’s first female chief justice. After completing her law studies, she began her legal career in 1979. In 2007, she was recognised as a senior advocate, and in January 2009, she was appointed as an ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court (SC), a position that was made permanent the following year.

 

 

Karki became Chief Justice on July 11, 2016. However, an impeachment motion was submitted in parliament against Karki in 2017 by the Maoist Centre and the Nepali Congress, said a report by The Times of India. The motion followed the supreme court's decision to overturn the government's appointment of Jaya Bahadur Chand as chief of police in favour of Navaraj Silwal.

Karki's India connection

Before starting her legal journey, Kakri is known to have completed her higher studies in India. According to media reports, she secured a master's degree in political science from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1975.

 

In an interview with News18, Karki said that India has helped Nepal a lot in difficult situations, adding that there is a lot of respect and love for New Delhi in her country. Recalling her BHU days, she remembered her teachers and friends, adding that her friends in India treat her as a sister.

Prepared for the role: Karki

Acknowledging that the "girls and boys" had chosen her to lead, Karki said she is prepared to take on the role. She said that the main focus of the interim government will be towards the youth who died during the protests. Noting that there have always been many political turmoils in the history of Nepal, she said that the current situation is very tough.

 

Nepal was rocked by widespread protests across two days starting Monday following the KP Oli government's decision to ban all social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram, among others that were not registered in the country.

 

The ban, viewed by the masses as an attempt to stifle dissent, quickly fuelled wider anger over corruption, nepotism and unemployment. Clashes with police left 19 people dead and hundreds injured. Even after the government withdrew the order, protests escalated, with demonstrators torching parliament and the homes of top leaders, including that of Oli.

 

Oli and several of his ministers resigned soon after, paving the way for Karki to be nominated as head of the interim government.