The Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) account on X was withheld in India on Thursday, May 21, its founder Abhijeet Dipke said, posting a screenshot of the blocked page and calling the move an “own goal.”
Despite the block, the satirical outfit has racked up a large social media following. On Instagram the CJP has overtaken the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) 8.8 million followers, with the CJP reporting 12.9 million followers, and it had amassed more than 209,000 followers on X before the account was withheld in India.
The party sprang to life after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on May 15 compared unemployed youth to “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a court hearing. Within a day, Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old public relations student at Boston University, adopted the insult as the party’s name. The CJI later said his remarks referred to those entering professions through fraudulent qualifications.
The CJP’s membership rules are deliberately tongue in cheek — be unemployed, be able to professionally rant — and its motto, “Secular, Socialist, Democratic, Lazy,” signals its satirical tone. Its manifesto, however, targets concrete issues: removing Rajya Sabha seats for retiring chief justices, using UAPA charges against election officials who delete voter rolls, guaranteeing a free press, and imposing a 20 year ban from public office for defectors.
The party’s rapid rise has been accompanied by alleged attempts to disrupt its online presence. On May 19 Dipke claimed the CJP’s social accounts had been targeted by hackers. In a video message he criticised the government’s response, accusing authorities of cracking down on dissent while remaining silent on Chinese incursions at the border. He also challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public image, saying the PM should face tougher questions in press briefings.
Dipke appealed directly to young people, calling the CJP “your movement” born of frustration and urging supporters not to be deterred by political pressure.