Nepal, Nov. 14 -- The outrage of the protesters on September 8 and 9 was justified. But the form that outrage takes now demands reflection. When does righteous resistance become lawlessness, and at what cost?

The old political class has trivialised the youth's dissent as impulsive, but that is an evasion. This generation is not apolitical; it is post-illusion. Yet even justified outrage can be consumed by chaos if not guided by principle. According to The Kathmandu Post and Amnesty International, police fired thousands of live rounds during the protests, including shots to the head and chest. The reported infiltration of hospitals by security forces exposes the depth of institutional decay.

Accountability is imperative. Every death dema...