Cockroach Janta Party: Why does it speak to India's youth?

There are many terms used to describe Gen-Z. The most popular among them are “unemployed”, “lazy” and “chronically online”. Coincidentally, these terms also form the eligibility criteria to join India’s youngest political outfit that has taken the internet by storm–the Cockroach Janta Party, or the CJP.

The CJP currently has an army of 20 million followers on Instagram. In just 5 days of its founding, the outfit crossed 15 million followers on Instagram, surpassing both the BJP and Congress’ follower count.

Among memes and posts that show public support, the outfit has also been posting demands for the resignation of ministers on the grounds of anti-incumbency. Their rapidly growing X handle that had crossed 200,000 followers, has now been blocked following Intelligence Bureau inputs citing “national security concerns”.

But cockroaches don’t die easily.

The group’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, simply started another handle called ‘Cockroach is Back’--a simple and effective message suggesting that the group will not quit.

The CJP was born in reaction to a statement made by Surya Kant, the Chief Justice of India. On May 15, the CJI said, “"There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists, and they start attacking everyone."

This sparked Abhijeet Dipke, an Indian student from Boston University, to start the CJP, a satirical political party.

Although the CJI clarified his statement the very next day saying he was misquoted, Dipke’s movement went beyond satire. Its manifesto has a political core that demands change on a policy level. Philosophically, the spirit of the CJP carries Kafkesque connotations. In Franz Kafka’s novella Metamorphosis, the protagonist Gregor Samsa literally wakes up one morning to find himself having transformed into a cockroach. Unable to go to work, Samsa is shunned by his family and society, who now see him as useless.

An intentional parallel or not, this feeling struck the hearts of India’s youth–the majority of the CJP’s supporters. The CJP provided a platform of expression to young Indians who are fed up of being called unproductive by a nation that refuses to take any accountability for its inaction to provide for its citizens. It further built a space for criticisms against the government for keeping inefficient politicians in power and controlling the media.

The CJP and its army of young supporters have sparked an online movement that questions the government. Certain social media posts that support the movement were also seen featuring the One Piece flag - a symbol of protest used in Nepal's GenZ protests in which a nationwide movement eventually removed and replaced the country's ‘undemocratic’ government.

The CJP, however, is still operating in the digital space. And the government is already making attempts to limit its operations. Apart from blocking their X handle, the founder has revealed that his personal Instagram account is also being targeted. Reports say that his parents express grave concern over his safety.

It is clear that the CJP's online voice has left authorities shaken. But the movement that encourages questioning has also come under examination. While the CJP claims to be politically independent, reports point out that its founder once worked with the Aam Aadmi Party, which prompts the important question– can the CJP be truly free from party bias?

Secondly, there are doubts as to whether this movement will ever touch the ground. The CJP currently operates in the online space. Its slogans are social media posts, its posters and circulars are image files, and its founder currently lives outside India.

While the movement is asking important questions, it is yet to be seen whether the youth will convert this into action or online content. Currently, the CJP has lit a fire online, which the government is already trying to douse. Only time will tell whether it will spread outside phone screens and social media groups.