The satirical movement Cockroach Janta Party (“People’s Party of the Cockroach”) gained millions of followers on Indian social media within days, following a controversial statement by a Supreme Court judge about unemployed young people. Members of the movement use the image of a cockroach as a symbol of survival and protest against social issues.
HOW THE MOVEMENT BEGAN
According to BBC, the idea for creating a satirical group came from Boston University student Abhijit Deepke. He said the project was initially conceived as a joke and a platform for bringing people together through memes and satire.
The movement was sparked by remarks from Indian Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant. During a hearing, he compared some unemployed young people and activists to cockroaches and parasites. The comment quickly spread on social media and drew criticism from users.
The judge later clarified that his comments referred to people with fake diplomas and were not aimed at all young people in India.
WHY THE MOVEMENT BECAME POPULAR SO QUICKLY
After launching its website and social media accounts, the movement began rapidly gaining an audience. The party’s Instagram account gathered more than 20 million followers.
The movement also received tens of thousands of membership applications through an online form. The project’s content is based on memes, parody political slogans, and satirical videos about unemployment, corruption, and the rising cost of living.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE MOVEMENT’S ACTIVITY
According to Abhijit Deepke, the movement is not linked to official political organisations. However, the article notes that he previously collaborated with the Indian political party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Members of the movement have begun taking part in protest actions dressed in cockroach costumes. Furthermore, the movement has become a hot topic in the Indian segment of social media.
The group’s account on the social media platform X, which has more than 200,000 followers, has been hidden in India. Users see a notice that the page has been blocked “in response to a legal request.”