Cockroach Janta Party
Indian satirical political movement
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The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP; lit. 'Cockroach People's Party') is an Indian satirical political movement founded on 16 May 2026 by Abhijeet Dipke, a political communications strategist who formerly worked with the Aam Aadmi Party. CJP emerged in response to remarks made by the incumbent Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, on 15 May 2026, in which he compared unemployed youth to "cockroaches" and "parasites of society". The name is a parody of the ruling party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party.[1] Within days of its founding, the movement garnered over 350,000 sign-ups and over 20 million followers on Instagram.[2] The movement has also engaged in offline activities, with volunteers participating in protests and clean-up drives dressed in cockroach costumes.[1]
Cockroach Janta Party Kôkroch Janatā Pārtī | |
|---|---|
| |
| Abbreviation | CJP |
| President | Abhijeet Dipke |
| Founder | Abhijeet Dipke |
| Founded | 16 May 2026 |
| Ideology | Political satire |
| Slogan | Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed |
| ECI Status | Not Registered |
| Election symbol | |
 | |
| Website | |
| cockroachjantaparty | |
Though the movement is not registered as a political party with the Election Commission of India, it campaigns against broader societal, economic, and political issues affecting the Indian youth.[3]
Background and formation
During a Supreme Court hearing on 15 May 2026 regarding a contempt petition related to senior advocate designations and the use of fraudulent professional credentials, Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked:[4]
There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists, and other activists, and they start attacking everyone.
The following day, Abhijeet Dipke announced the launch of a "platform for all the 'cockroaches' out there" on X, listing the eligibility criteria as being unemployed, lazy, chronically online, and able to rant professionally.[5] The party's website went live on 16 May under the tagline "Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed".[6] Dipke used artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Claude and ChatGPT to design the website and the manifesto. The name "Cockroach Janta Party" is a play on the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).[7] Founder claims that CJP is not affiliated with any political organisation.[8] Furthermore, AI-generated images were used to promote the movement.[9]
The movement grew rapidly on social media platforms. Within 78 hours of launch, the Instagram account crossed 3 million followers. It then surpassed 10 million in under five days, overtaking the official handle of the BJP.[10] As of 22 May 2026,[update] the account displayed over 20 million followers.[11] The movement also crossed 200,000 followers on X,[1] and claims to have registered over 350,000 members through online forms.[7]
Alongside its online presence, the movement organised offline protests and community service activities.[12] The movement has since spread to several states, including West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.[7]
Response from the Chief Justice
Following the backlash, Chief Justice Surya Kant issued a clarification on 16 May, stating that his remarks had been misquoted. He said that he was specifically criticising individuals who had entered the legal profession using fake and bogus degrees, not the country's unemployed youth.[4]
Dipke stated in an interview with India Today that the Chief Justice's comments were particularly hurtful because they came from the custodian of the Constitution, who is tasked with protecting freedom of expression.[10]
Abhijeet Dipke
Abhijeet Dipke was born on 29 September 1995 in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra.[13][14] Dipke earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism in Pune.[15][14] He then moved to the United States and completed a Master of Science in Public Relations from Boston University.[16][17]
Between 2020 and 2023, Dipke worked as a volunteer with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) social media team. During the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, which AAP won under Arvind Kejriwal's leadership, he made meme-based digital content aimed at young voters. He also served as a communication advisor for the Delhi government's education department.[18] He left AAP in 2023 to study abroad. Dipke called the Cockroach Janta Party a "platform" for young Indians who feel left out of mainstream politics.
Ideology
The CJP describes itself as "a political front of the youth, by the youth, for the youth: Secular, Socialist, Democratic, and Lazy."[4] Dipke has stated that the campaign is not interested in becoming a traditional political party and has no interest in inducting established politicians into the platform, noting that "Gen Z wouldn't like it if current politicians joined the CJP."[10]
The party's vision on its website is stated by Dipke as: "We are not here to set up another PM CARES, holiday in Davos on the taxpayer's salary slip, or rebrand corruption as 'strategic spending.' We are here to ask, loudly, repeatedly, in writing, where the money went." Further, its mission is described as: "Build a party for the young people who keep getting called lazy, chronically online, and, most recently, cockroaches. That's it. That's the mission. The rest is satire."[19]
The party has released a formal five-point manifesto:[6][4][20]
- No Chief Justice shall be granted a Rajya Sabha seat as a post-retirement reward.[19]
- If any legitimate vote is deleted, the Chief Election Commissioner shall be arrested under the UAPA, as taking away voting rights is "no less than terrorism".[19]
- Women shall receive 50% reservation (instead of 33%) without increasing the strength of Parliament; 50% of all Cabinet positions shall be reserved for women.[19]
- All media houses owned by the Adani Group and Reliance Industries ("Ambani") shall have their licences cancelled to make way for independent media. Bank accounts of "Godi media anchors" shall be investigated.[19]
- Any MLA or MP who defects from one party to another shall be barred from contesting elections and holding public office for 20 years.[19]
Additional points suggested by activist Anjali Bhardwaj and accepted by the party include:[20]
- The party shall be answerable under the RTI Act
- It shall not establish a "secret Cockroach CARES Fund" (in reference to the PM CARES Fund)
Membership
The eligibility criteria for joining the CJP are deliberately satirical:[4]
- Unemployed ("by force, by choice, or by principle")
- Lazy ("refers only to physical activity")
- Chronically online ("at least 11 hours daily, including bathroom breaks")
- Ability to rant professionally ("content must be sharp, honest, and point at something that matters")
The party states that religion, caste, and gender are not considered in the membership process.[4]
Reception
The movement has attracted attention and support from several public figures and politicians across different states, while also drawing criticism and legal action.[21]
Supporters
Within days of its launch, two Trinamool Congress MPs, Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, expressed interest in joining the party and were welcomed by the CJP's social media handle. Moitra stated she wished to join "besides being a card-carrying member of the Anti-National Party".[20]
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav commented on the movement on social media by posting: "BJP banam CJP" (BJP versus CJP).[22]
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described the CJP as a "revelation" of youth frustration regarding unemployment, inflation, and the NEET paper leaks. Tharoor criticised the blocking of CJP's X handle as "disastrous" for democracy, arguing that satirical and humorous outlets are healthy for expressing public dissatisfaction. He noted that the phenomenon signals Gen Z's restlessness and presents an opportunity for the political opposition to channel this discontent into mainstream electoral politics.[23]
Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan also supported the movement, stating that Chief Justice Kant's comments "reflected deep-rooted prejudice and antipathy towards activists and youth in general."[7] Bhushan urged the CJP to use its platforms to highlight the NEET paper leak, demand accountability from Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and call for a "right to employment" law providing jobs or unemployment allowances for citizens between 21 and 60 years of age.[10] YouTuber Dhruv Rathee also extended support, stating in a YouTube Short that he would soon join the collective.[10] Other prominent figures who expressed support or engagement with the movement include social activist Anjali Bhardwaj.[20]
Several figures from the Indian film and comedy industries also supported or engaged with the movement on social media. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, comedian Kunal Kamra, and actresses Konkona Sen Sharma, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Dia Mirza, and Esha Gupta expressed support for the movement, primarily by following and sharing content from the party's official social media handles.[24][10]
On 23 May 2026, environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk expressed support for the Cockroach Janata Party movement, describing himself as an "honorary cockroach" and urging the government to address concerns raised by young people rather than suppressing online dissent.[25]
On 24 May 2026, social activist Anna Hazare expressed support for young people backing the Cockroach Janata Party, stating that the government should encourage such youth participation rather than ignore it. Hazare said that “youth power is national power” and urged the Centre to listen to the concerns raised by them.[26][27]
On 25 May 2026, Trinamool Congress leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee expressed support for the Cockroach Janata Party. Party spokesperson Derek O'Brien stated that the party was “fighting a good fight” and described the movement as a reflection of youth concerns and online political dissent in India.[28]
Social media users also began posting with the hashtag #MainBhiCockroach (transl. 'I too am a cockroach').[9]
Criticism and scepticism
Critics, many of them supporters of Prime Minister Modi[29], have dismissed the CJP as online political theatre, pointing to Dipke's past association with the Aam Aadmi Party and arguing that the collective is a carefully packaged digital campaign rather than a spontaneous rebellion.[1] Some analysts question whether its rapid growth reflects genuine grassroots mobilisation or social media amplification, noting that viral movements often struggle to sustain momentum beyond initial online attention.[7][30] Social media users remain divided: some label the CJP "mere meme politics," while others describe it as "the first party in the country which at least understands the pain of the youth."[5] Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar alleged that 49% of CJP followers are from Pakistan and only 9% are from India.[31] However, a screen recording from Dipke shows that over 94% of the audience is Indian.[32] Independent estimation, although unreliable, shows a predominantly Indian audience.[33]
In May 2026, legal news portal Live Law reported that a petition had been filed in the Supreme Court of India, seeking investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into activities of the party, along with investigation into fake advocates and fraudulent law degrees.[34]
Social media and Internet restrictions
On 21 May 2026, the Cockroach Janta Party's official X account was withheld in India in response to a legal demand.[35] The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered the restriction under Section 69(A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, acting on inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The IB cited "national security concerns" and a threat to the "sovereignty of India", arguing that CJP's content was inflammatory and gaining rapid traction among youth. The block command was reportedly issued when the account had around 90,000 followers, and officials indicated that a process to block the party's Instagram account was also underway.[36] Minutes after being taken down, the party came back with a new handle titled, "Cockroach is Back".[12]
On 23 May 2026, the official website was taken down, allegedly by the Indian government.[9] This happened after the website had started an online petition demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET 2026 Paper leak.[37]
On 24 May 2026, Abhijeet Dipke said that the Cockroach Janata Party's Instagram page and his personal Instagram account had been hacked, temporarily disrupting the party's presence on the platform.[38]
On 26 May 2026, Dipke moved the Delhi High Court challenging the blocking of the party's X account in India. According to reports, the account had been withheld following a direction from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology citing national security concerns. Dipke sought judicial intervention against the action.[39]
Threats
On 22 May 2026, Dipke claimed that he had received death threats via WhatsApp from anonymous numbers. According to screenshots shared by him, the messages allegedly asked him to shut down the party's social media accounts or join the BJP, while also threatening to kill him in the United States.[40]
