The rise of the Cockroaches

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded in May by Abhijeet Dipke, began as an online joke. Angered by remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who likened the country’s unemployed youth to “parasites” and “cockroaches” during a Supreme Court hearing, Dipke, a 30-year-old communications strategist and former student at Boston University in the United States, posted a tongue-in-cheek message on social media: “What if all cockroaches came together?”

The response was overwhelming. That post marked the beginning of what would become one of India’s most visible youth movements in recent times, drawing support from thousands of young people across the country.

Soon, Mr. Dipke launched a website and social media accounts for the satirical Cockroach Janta Party — a play on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — complete with a manifesto critical of the government and the tagline: “A political party for the people the system forgot to count.”

Within two weeks, the CJP’s Instagram account had crossed 17 million followers, surpassing the BJP on the platform.

The party’s first offline protest was held in New Delhi in early June, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Dipke returned from the United States to lead the demonstration. By July 20, 2026, the CJP’s protest had grown into one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in recent years.

Here is the story of the Cockroach Janta Party:

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