Kathmandu, May 22. Indian politics has recently found an unusual symbol: the cockroach. Following a remark by Chief Justice Surya Kant last week, the term gained attention that led to the formation of the party, Cockroach Janata Party, on digital platforms.
During a court hearing, he reportedly compared unemployed youth drifting toward journalism and activism to cockroaches and parasites. He later clarified that his comment was aimed specifically at individuals holding “fake and baseless degrees”, not Indian youth as a whole.
By then, however, the remark had already gone viral on social media, triggering anger, humour, and the emergence of a satirical political idea called the “Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).”
CJP is not an official political party but an online satire movement built on political parody. Its membership criteria reportedly include being unemployed, lazy, constantly online, and “professionally capable of venting frustration.”
Within five days, it gained more than 17 million followers on Instagram. The idea was created by political communication strategist and Boston University student Abhijit Deepke, who said it began as a joke.
Political analyst Yogendra Yadav, however, believes it is more than just humour.
“Authoritarian governments fear jokes the most,” Yadav said. “What began as a meme under the Cockroach Janta Party is not just laughter or anger. It reflects deep unrest and frustration from the grassroots, where institutional pathways and opportunities feel blocked.”
He added that humour and satire are often rooted in deeper pain, making it impossible to dismiss them lightly. He warned that any attempt by the government to suppress such expressions could mark the beginning of a serious shift.
According to Yadav, when governments capture institutions and consolidate power, resistance often emerges from unexpected spaces.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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