Nepal, Oct. 15 -- During the recent Gen Z movement, major state institutions-including the President's Office, Parliament and Supreme Court-were attacked, along with several government offices and the homes of political leaders. In the aftermath, many well-wishers reached out to me with concern, wondering if my own house had been targeted. Their anxiety was understandable; as one of the advocates of federalism, they feared the anger might also be directed against the federal system and the provinces themselves.

Do these young protesters truly reject federalism? Are they against the Constitution, the rule of law and democracy itself? Seeking to understand, I began reading their statements and listening to their voices. Kantipur Daily's Da...