It began as a joke on social media. But within days, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had become a global phenomenon, exposing the deep frustration of India’s youth like never before .
On May 15, 2026, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made an oral observation during a court hearing. Referring to certain individuals active on social media, he reportedly called them “cockroaches” and “parasites” who “don’t get any employment or have any place in the profession” .
The remark, made amidst nationwide protests over the NEET exam paper leak, struck a raw nerve. Within hours, 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke, a political communications strategist and student at Boston University, posted a sarcastic question on X: “What if all cockroaches came together?”
The birth of a movement
What Dipke intended as a satirical joke quickly spiraled into a digital wildfire. He created a website and social media accounts for the “Cockroach Janta Party” — a parody of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party’s membership form came with deliberately absurd eligibility criteria: unemployed, lazy, chronically online, and able to rant professionally .
“It was completely impulsive. I built the website and manifesto myself using AI tools — one person in a Boston apartment with a laptop,” Dipke later told Outlook .
‘I’m also a cockroach’
The response was unprecedented. The CJP’s Instagram account crossed three million followers within 78 hours. By day five, it had surpassed 10 million. Within two weeks, it claimed over 22 million followers across platforms — more than double the BJP’s Instagram following of 8.9 million at the time .
Gen Z users across the country began calling themselves “cockroaches” as a badge of honor. The slogan “Main Bhi Cockroach” (I am also a cockroach) went viral, accompanied by memes, protest anthems, and street art .
The timing was critical. India produces over 8 million graduates a year, yet the unemployment rate among them stands at 29.1 percent — nine times higher than for those who never attended school . The NEET paper leak, which forced the cancellation of an exam taken by over 22 lakh students, had become a flashpoint for systemic failure .
“The frustration already existed. The CJP simply gave it a language and a symbol,” Dipke explained .
Crackdown and backlash
The government’s response was swift. On May 21, the CJP’s X account was blocked under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, following inputs from the Intelligence Bureau citing “national security concerns” . The party’s website was also taken down temporarily.
Maharashtra Congress leaders claimed the government acted after an IB report warned that the CJP’s campaign could trigger “unrest” among the youth . Union Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested without evidence that the party was backed by “Pakistan and the George Soros gang” .
Dipke’s new account, “Cockroach is Back,” quickly gained over 2 lakh followers before facing similar restrictions . On May 29, the Delhi High Court issued notice to the Centre on Dipke’s plea seeking restoration of the accounts and directed the IT Rules review committee to examine the blocking order .
More than a joke
Despite the crackdown, the CJP continues to evolve. Its five-point manifesto now addresses real issues: unemployment, NEET paper leaks, judicial accountability, independent media, and women’s representation in politics . A petition on its website demanding the Education Minister’s resignation over the NEET leak has gathered nearly 8 lakh signatures .
Political leaders from across the spectrum have taken note. Opposition MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad publicly signed up for the party . TDP State president Palla Srinivasa Rao said the movement “reflects the aspirations and concerns of the youth and should be taken seriously by policymakers” .
The CJP even inspired a “meme opposition party” — the National Parasitic Front (NPF) — which satirises mainstream politics with its own absurd manifestos .
What lies ahead
The CJP is not a registered political party. Whether it will become one remains uncertain. But what it represents is undeniable: a generation’s simmering anger at an establishment that seems to have little room for its aspirations .
As Dipke put it: “The conditions that created the CJP have not been addressed. They have barely been acknowledged. If you shut down the noise, the anger will find another outlet” .
For now, the cockroach continues to crawl — online, on the streets, and into the consciousness of India’s political class.
