What began as a judicial remark has spawned one of India's most unexpected — and viral — political experiments. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has crossed 1.6 lakh registered members, with its founder announcing the milestone on X just days after the party's launch.
According to livemint, as of Wednesday (May 20), its Instagram page had over two million followers, while its X account had nearly 62,000 followers.
It's 1 lakh 60 thousand now.
— Cockroach Janta Party (@CJP_2029) May 19, 2026
Just wanted to let you all know. https://t.co/7zR43YUylp
The Remark That Started It All
During a Supreme Court hearing on May 15, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarked on the prevalence of individuals with questionable qualifications in the legal field, noting there were "youngsters like cockroaches who are not getting employment in the profession" and who turn to social media and RTI activism.
The remark spread rapidly online. Media reports claimed the CJI had likened the unemployed youth of the country to cockroaches and parasites. The judiciary's top office quickly moved to contain the fallout.
CJI Surya Kant issued a clarification stating the remark targeted fake degree holders, not unemployed youth, and that his observations were specifically about those undermining professional standards. "What I had specifically criticised were those who have entered professions like the Bar with the aid of fake and bogus degrees," he stated.
The Party's Birth
The Cockroach Janata Party was launched on May 16 as a satirical response to the CJI's remarks. It was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old public relations student at Boston University and former AAP social media volunteer from 2020 to 2023.
The CJP describes itself as a platform for youth to shape the future of Indian politics, with a mission to represent young people who "keep getting called lazy, chronically online, and — most recently — cockroaches."
The party's motto, 'Secular, Socialist, Democratic, Lazy', sets the tone for what is equal parts political satire and genuine youth frustration. Its eligibility criteria ask prospective members whether they are unemployed, lazy, chronically online, and possess the "ability to rant professionally."
The CJP has already released an AI-generated anthem, "We are Cockroach Party, we are children of a burning city", and is planning its first virtual GenZ Convention, inviting young people to help organise and coordinate the event.
The wait is finally over…
— Cockroach Janta Party (@CJP_2029) May 17, 2026
Presenting you the official election symbol of Cockroach Janta Party.
Join the movement: https://t.co/2BdBYMQhl8#IamNotAfraid #CJP2029✊???? pic.twitter.com/Pl6AqnKHnv
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The Manifesto
Its manifesto targets post-retirement appointments, political defections and electoral roll deletions.
The manifesto includes points such as "No Chief Justice to be rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat after retirement" and "50% reservation for women in Parliament and the Cabinet without expanding Parliament's strength". It also seeks a 20-year ban from public office for any MP or MLA who defects from one party to another.
Who's Joining
The party claims over one lakh members joined within three days. Notable political figures like TMC's Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad have been symbolically 'admitted' as members.
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'Don't Compare Us to Bangladesh or Nepal'
As CJP's membership surged, journalists began asking: Could this be India's Gen Z uprising moment?
The comparison carries real weight. Bangladesh's 2024 student revolution — widely described as the world's first successful Gen Z uprising — began as a protest against job quotas before forcing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country.
Nepal followed in September 2025, when a government social media ban ignited mass protests that set parliament ablaze and ended Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's tenure, eventually leaving 74 dead. Analysts say the common thread across South Asia's youth revolts is young people seeing the gap between what they aspire to and the reality they inhabit.
CJP founder Dipke has firmly rejected the framing. "Do not insult or underestimate the GenZ of India by making such comparisons," he wrote on X. "They understand their Constitutional rights and will express their dissent through peaceful and democratic means."
FYI pic.twitter.com/XCkclwy50K
— Cockroach Janta Party (@CJP_2029) May 19, 2026
On X, Dipke has been careful to distinguish the movement's intent. "The youth of this country are far more mature, aware, and politically conscious than many give them credit for," he wrote.
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