Mock political party for India's young 'cockroaches' holds first protest in New Delhi

NEW DELHI, June 6, (AP): Hundreds of supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party, an online joke that drew millions across India, gathered for the first time in the national capital on Saturday, taking the social media movement off screens and into its biggest real-world test yet. The protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, marks the movement’s first foray into street politics after weeks of dominating social media feeds and news headlines, attracting millions of online followers and widespread support among young Indians.

Hundreds of mostly young Indians gathered in the heart of New Delhi’s protest zone near Parliament, some with placards and cockroach masks. How many ultimately would join remained unclear, making the event an early test of whether the movement can channel its online popularity into a broader grassroots support around growing frustration among young Indians over education, jobs and economic prospects.

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the online movement, arrived in the capital from the US on Saturday to participate in the protest. Police laid steel barricades at arrivals at New Delhi's international airport. Dipke said in a social media post that police granted permission to the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, to hold the protest, saying, "Cockroaches gather at Jantar Mantar.”

CJP organizers used social media to rally supporters for Saturday’s march, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demand grew out of an exam irregularity controversy in May that quickly became a broader outlet for frustration over India’s education system and limited job opportunities. Supporters chanted slogans including, "Cockroaches are coming, Dharmendra Pradhan is going!” Participants were encouraged to bring India’s national flag and a book, which organizers said symbolized right to education and equal opportunity for all.

Organizers also urged demonstrators to remain peaceful and avoid any confrontations with police. "Time to turn this tiny joke into a revolution,” the official CJP account on X posted Friday. The CJP emerged only three weeks ago to become an unlikely outlet for discontent among supporters who proudly call themselves "cockroaches.”

India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant likened critics and some unemployed youth to cockroaches during a May hearing, sparking backlash among frustrated young Indians. Dipke, a political communications strategist and Boston University student, used the insult as inspiration for a parody political party. Within a week of launching a website and social media accounts, CJP's Instagram page had amassed more than 15 million followers.