A satirical political party using the cockroach as its symbol has become a viral sensation in India, tapping into widespread frustration among young people. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched its website and social media accounts on Saturday, and by Thursday its Instagram page had amassed over 15 million followers, far surpassing the 8.8 million followers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the same platform.
The movement emerged after India's Chief Justice Surya Kant, during a court hearing last week, compared some unemployed young people and activists to cockroaches. Kant said there are "youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in a profession" and later clarified that he was referring to people obtaining fraudulent degrees. His comments sparked a backlash among young Indians already angered by unemployment, rising living costs, and recent government exam paper leaks that disrupted job recruitment drives.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, a political communications strategist and student at Boston University, said the movement's rise was unintentional but reflects mounting frustration. "It is the younger people who were actually very frustrated. They didn't have any outlet. They were really angry at the government," he said. The party's Instagram account began posting memes, mock campaign slogans, and satirical commentary targeting Modi's government, drawing tens of thousands of online volunteers within days.
Dipke, who has previously worked with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said the CJP is not affiliated with any real political organisation. Its tongue-in-cheek membership criteria include being unemployed, lazy, chronically online, and capable of ranting professionally. The manifesto uses satire to address issues such as alleged voter manipulation, corporate media ties to the government, and the appointment of retired judges to official posts.
Some opponents, particularly Modi supporters, have dismissed the CJP as an online gimmick aligned with the opposition, citing Dipke's past AAP association. They argue its popularity may fade quickly. However, Dipke said the movement reflects a broader trend across South Asia, where youths have played central roles in anti-government movements in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. "The youth are really frustrated and the government is not acknowledging their concerns," he said.
