What began as a satirical online response to a controversial remark by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has rapidly snowballed into one of India’s biggest Gen Z internet movements.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), launched barely days ago by political strategist Abhijeet Dipke, has amassed millions of followers across social media, overtaking even mainstream political parties on Instagram and turning into a digital rallying point for frustrated young Indians.
The movement was triggered after CJI Surya Kant, during a hearing linked to fake legal degrees, remarked that unemployed youth were becoming “like cockroaches” and “parasites”. Though the CJI later clarified that his comments were directed at fraudulent professionals and not the country’s youth, the backlash ensued online.
“There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any place in the profession,” PTI had quoted Kant as having said.
Dipke seized on the outrage almost instantly. On May 16, he launched the Cockroach Janta Party — a tongue-in-cheek political platform describing itself as the “Voice of the Lazy and Unemployed”. Membership criteria included being “chronically online”, unemployed, underpaid, overworked, or simply exhausted by the system.
Who is the founder of Cockroach Janta Party?
The Cockroach Janata Party was launched by Abhijeet Dipke, whose work focuses on narrative building and public messaging. Dipke has an undergraduate degree in journalism from Pune and pursued a master’s in Public Relations at Boston University in the US.
He previously volunteered with the social media team of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and worked on meme-driven digital campaigning during the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections led by Arvind Kejriwal.
Within days, the movement claimed hundreds of thousands of sign-ups, while its Instagram following surged past several established parties. The Instagram following has exploded to 20 million as of May 22.
On Thursday, the party’s X profile was withheld in India “in response to a legal demand”, the platform said. Following the suspension, Dipke asked in an Instagram post, “why are they so scared of us?”
However, within hours, the party was back on X (formerly Twitter) with a new account.
Three trademark applications filed
Three trademark applications have been filed for the satirical outfit. According to records on the Trade Marks Registry public search portal, two independent applications have been submitted for the wordmark “Cockroach Janta Party” under Class 45, which covers legal and selective personal services.
The first application was filed by Azim Adambhai Jam for the wordmark “COCKROACH JANTA PARTY”. The second application was filed by Akhand Swaroop for “Cockroach Janta Party”. A third application was filed by the Cockroach Janta Party itself for a label mark covering the outfit’s visual identity.
Movement reflecting disconnect with government?
Political leaders and creators claim the movement reflects growing frustration not only with the government, but also with the opposition, which many young voters see as fragmented, ineffective and disconnected.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi reflects on the popularity of Cockroach Janta Party – “That a social media-created idea of CJP has taken the GenZ imagination by storm is a sad reflection of them losing hope in most of the current opposition parties.”
“Clearly there is anger against BJP but voters would rather bet on a new figment of imagination created party than established opposition parties is unfortunate,” she stated in her X post.
What does the Cockroach Janta Party stand for?
The party founder, Abhijeet Dipke, has outlined a five-point agenda on his website, calling for independent institutions, stricter accountability for election officials, and 50 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and cabinet positions.
Talking to India Today on whether the agenda signals political ambitions, Dipke said the aim is to “strive for an ideal India where the judiciary, Election Commission, and media remain neutral and independent.”
“This is a movement to change the political discourse of India,” Dipke told Reuters, adding, “The youth of India has largely vanished from the mainstream political discourse. Nobody is talking about us. Nobody is listening to our issues or even trying to acknowledge our existence.”
While Dipke rejected comparisons with upheavals in Nepal or Sri Lanka, saying “the youth of this country are far more mature, aware, and politically conscious. And that we shouldn’t insult or underestimate the GenZ of India by making such comparisons. The youth in India understand their constitutional rights and will express their dissent through peaceful and democratic means”.
