BLAISE COSTABIR
The recent satirical ‘Cock roach Janata Party (CJP)’ has opened a proverbial Pandora’s box, bringing the latent frustrations of India’s Gen Z to the forefront. Abhi jeet Dipke, a Boston-based student, felt aggrieved by a statement made by the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The CJI later clarified that his remarks were not intended to defame all unemployed youth in In dia, but specifically targeted individuals entering the legal profession with fake or bogus degrees. He did not specify whether his comments also applied to those entering the political arena with fraudulent qualifications or no degrees at all. By that time, the newly launched online initiative, the CJP, had already taken the in ternet by storm, evolving into a youth-led protest move ment. Within days, it amassed an online following that many established political parties would envy.
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Satirical posts were fol lowed by a constitution and charter of demands as the movement evolved into a youth-led protest platform. They initially issued a five point manifesto, which they termed non-negotiable, name ly: 1) Judicial independence, 2) Electoral accountability, 3) Gender parity, 4) Media freedom and 5) Anti-defec tion. On the surface, these are conditions almost all Indians would desire but have been afraid to demand. Post-re tirement benefits should be prohibited not only for judg es but for all civil servants to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality in de cision-making. Unfortunately, this remains an entrenched political practice. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR), while necessary, was conducted in haste, leaving affected individ uals with no time to present their cases; if their claims are legitimate, they will now have to wait until the next election to vote, provided they are re viewed favourably. Given social compulsions, achieving gender parity will be a gradual process. In the current political landscape, this often manifests as a wife stepping in for an elected representative when a seat becomes reserved, a prac tice that deceives no one.
Furthermore, the increasing corporate control over media necessitates action, as crony capitalism currently faces lit tle opposition. While curtail ing private investment pre sents its own set of challenges, a particularly pressing issue remains: it is heartbreaking and frustrating for citizens to witness their mandates being undermined by elected repre sentatives who switch parties with impunity, despite exist ing anti-defection laws. Dipke took an unexpect ed course of action when he chose to leave his home in Boston and travel to In dia to personally lead physi cal protests in Delhi. During these demonstrations, which were followed by subsequent meetings in Bengaluru and Jaipur, the primary demand emerged: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan due to examination irregularities and paper leaks.
While the desire for accountability should be straightforward, the Govern ment remains unresponsive. Is it not the job of the opposi tion to hold the Government accountable? It is because the opposition is failing that the common man has to stand up and voice his opposition. The current political land scape appears to be alienating the youth from active involve ment. Many young people emerging on the horizon are descendants of the existing leadership across various par ties, making politics seem like a family business. Generally, it is movements led by complete outsiders—individuals like Dipke or Justice Rebello, who lack traditional political party bases—that truly ignite the imagination and interest of the common man. Their inquiries and priorities align with what the youth and the general public are seeking, which mo tivates them to participate. In contrast, established political parties fail to think creatively; they are deeply entrenched and feel no necessity to listen. Offering freebies appears to be a method of evading gov erning responsibilities.
The NEET exam leak and subsequent cancellation have devastated thousands of stu dents, rendering their extensive preparations futile. Authorities seem indifferent to this hard ship, treating a retest as a sim ple fix despite the resulting su icides and widespread anguish. While Telegram was banned for sharing leaks, no concrete preventive measures were taken. Consequently, frustrat ed youth are now demanding accountability. The answer to this ques tion may be found in the issue raised by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the 2026 National Youth Parliament in Goa. He noted that while for mal educational qualifications are mandatory even for en try-level positions, no such re quirement exists for entering politics. He questioned wheth er individuals lacking educa tional credentials should be allowed to participate in the political arena.
It is because of this discrepancy that the response from the education ministry remains inadequate when a major crisis occurs, such as the cancellation of a competitive examination. It is truly encouraging that he made such an appeal, despite the fact that it could unsettle many within the political es tablishment. The responsibil ity now rests firmly with the youth. Dipke described the move ment as the “Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed,” employing humour and satire to under score what it perceives as critical issues confronting In dia’s youth. What started as a response to controversial “cockroach” comments has evolved to focus significantly on educational reforms and youth employment challeng es. Similar to the leaders of the “Enough is Enough” move ment, they have stated that they do not intend to form a political party; instead, they will position themselves as a public pressure coalition, aim ing to mobilise students and young citizens against system ic neglect.
The real significance of the Cockroach Janata Party is not whether it survives as a movement. It is whether it awakens a generation that has long watched politics from the sidelines. Democracy cannot be renewed by the same ac tors operating within the same incentives. If Goa and India are to confront corruption, envi ronmental degradation, un employment, and institutional decline, new leadership must emerge. Not leadership born of entitlement, dynasties, or opportunism, but leadership grounded in education, integ rity, and public service. The question is no longer whether our youth are frustrated. The question is whether they are willing to step forward and be counted. The author prefers to write rather than chat in a balcao)
