An audio recording released by Nepal Press online news portal has surfaced in which Sudan Gurung, founder of Hami Nepal, is heard claiming responsibility for preventing Gen-Z activist Raksha Bam from becoming a minister.
In the leaked audio, several youths from Sudurpaschim Province, active in the Gen-Z movement, express frustration that no minister had been appointed from their region. Gurung is heard stating, “We stopped Raksha Bam. Her name was dragged into NGO and INGO links, so we blocked it.”
He further explains that when Bam’s name was considered for a ministerial position, the decision was taken without consulting him or other Gen-Z youth leaders from Sudurpaschim, prompting his intervention. “I am the one who blocked it. When all the boys said so, shouldn’t it have gone accordingly? If representation was to come from Sudurpaschim, shouldn’t we have been consulted?” Gurung said.
Gurung emphasizes that Gen-Z youths from Sudurpaschim should have the authority to decide on representation. “We clearly said Raksha Bam should not be chosen. You have to ask us, right? There’s a whole team, a gang from Sudurpaschim. We came all the way from Sudurpaschim as the team leaders,” he added. He criticized individuals in Kathmandu for claiming to represent Sudurpaschim without consultation.
Another voice in the recording questions Bam’s affiliations, noting her ties with Bibeksheel Sajha and organizations receiving foreign funding, implying concerns about her suitability. Gurung also alleges that Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal played a role behind these moves.
The audio leak has sparked discussion about internal Gen-Z politics and the influence of youth leaders in ministerial appointments, highlighting ongoing tensions between regional representation, youth activism, and national-level political decisions.