A parody political party using a cockroach as its symbol has taken India’s social media by storm, and it all started with a controversial comment from a judge.
Last week, India’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant made remarks comparing unemployed young people to cockroaches during a court hearing. Many young Indians saw this as deeply insulting, and the backlash was swift. Political communications student Abhijeet Dipke responded by creating the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, as a satirical protest movement.
The cockroach was chosen on purpose. It is known for surviving almost anything, which many young Indians felt matched their own situation.
The response was enormous. Within just five days of launching, the CJP’s Instagram page had gained over 15 million followers. That is nearly double the 8.8 million followers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s actual governing party on the same platform. The CJP posts memes, mock campaign slogans, and funny videos poking fun at the government. Its tongue-in-cheek membership requirements include being unemployed, chronically online, and good at ranting.
But behind the jokes is a serious message. Many young Indians are angry about high unemployment, rising living costs, and recent exam scandals that have affected government job recruitment. India’s youth make up more than a quarter of the population, yet many struggle to find work.
Dipke says the movement reflects real frustration. “They didn’t have any outlet. They were really angry at the government,” he said.
