What began as a satirical internet movement has now turned into one of India’s biggest Gen Z-driven digital political storms.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke, is currently facing a major online crackdown after several of its social media platforms were hacked, withheld or removed over the past few days. But despite the takedowns, the movement appears far from over.
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Dipke recently approached the Delhi High Court challenging the withholding of the party’s X (formerly Twitter) account, alleging that authorities suspended the handle citing national security concerns.
At the same time, the movement’s Instagram page was allegedly hacked, the party website went offline, and backup social media handles were also taken down.
Still, supporters continue reviving the movement online through mirror accounts, repost pages and backup handles.
Recent Updates Around Cockroach Janta Party
- Official CJP X account withheld in India
- Main Instagram account allegedly hacked
- Party website temporarily taken offline
- Backup Instagram and X accounts removed
- New X handle “Cockroach is Back” crossed nearly 200,000 followers quickly
- CJP website reportedly saw over 1 million registrations
- Online petition seeking Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation crossed 600,000 signatures
- Instagram following reportedly crossed 22 million at its peak within days
- Movement briefly overtook the Instagram following of Bharatiya Janata Party on some trackers
- Supporters have now started appearing offline wearing cockroach costumes during protests
- Protest songs, AI edits and parody anthems are now circulating in Hindi, Kannada and other languages
In a post shared from his personal X account, Dipke claimed the movement would continue despite the crackdown.
“You can hack and withhold the accounts but you cannot hack this movement,” he wrote. “Every attack makes cockroaches stronger.”
He also warned supporters not to trust any posts made from allegedly compromised accounts after May 23.
Supreme Court Refuses Urgent Hearing
The controversy has now reached the Supreme Court as well.
A PIL filed by advocate NK Goswami sought action against individuals linked to the movement, raising concerns about fake law degrees, misuse of the Supreme Court’s identity and demands for a CBI investigation.
However, the Supreme Court refused an urgent hearing on the matter.
During oral mention of the plea, Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly remarked: “Don’t take it so sentimentally.”
Another petition filed by advocate Raja Choudhary accused the movement of commercially exploiting courtroom remarks through memes, clips and monetised content online.
How Did The Movement Begin?
The controversy traces back to remarks allegedly made by Chief Justice Surya Kant during a Supreme Court hearing earlier this month.
During courtroom exchanges related to fake degree holders and activists, terms like “cockroaches” and “parasites” reportedly surfaced. The Chief Justice later clarified that his comments were being misquoted and were not directed at unemployed Indian youth in general.
But by then, social media had already transformed the phrase into a full-fledged movement.
Within hours, memes, parody political posters, AI campaign videos and sarcastic edits flooded Instagram and X.
What started as online satire soon became a larger outlet for frustration among young Indians over unemployment, inflation, corruption and political dissatisfaction.
From Memes To A Movement
The Cockroach Janta Party has now moved beyond just internet humour.
Young supporters have started appearing at protests in cockroach costumes, while creators continue producing parody songs, mock campaign speeches and viral edits across multiple languages.
Dipke has clarified that the movement has not officially called for nationwide protests yet, but supporters continue growing rapidly online despite repeated platform removals.
And that is perhaps what makes the movement unusual.
Even after hacked pages, withheld accounts and legal scrutiny, the Cockroach Janta Party continues surviving in the exact place where it was born — the internet.
