India seeks to stamp out viral ‘Cockroach’ youth party

NEW DELHI – Indian authorities have sought to block the social media handles of the satirical “Cockroach People’s Party”, formed last week in response to comments from the country’s top judge seen as critical of young people.

The parody “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) – echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – was created after Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly called youth involved in criticism of the government “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a hearing.

He later said his comments, which spawned a slew of social media sites, were taken out of context and that he was referring to those who use fake degrees.

Mr Abhijeet Dipke, 30, an Indian student at Boston University in the United States and a political communications strategist who formerly worked with the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), created the fictional party online on May 16.

Its popularity soared, using the slogan “a political front for the youth, by the youth, for the youth”.

On X, it gained 218,000 followers. It was soon blocked in India before a new account was created.

That X handle, titled “Cockroach is Back”, rapidly generated nearly 150,000 followers within hours, alongside multiple parody “branch” handles.

India tightly regulates social media content, asking platforms to withhold accounts or remove “objectionable” content.

The party’s Instagram handle, still online in India, has nearly 20 million followers – more than double the BJP’s nine million followers on the same site, as well as the main opposition Congress Party’s 13 million followers.

“The more you try to suppress us, the stronger we will rise,” it posted on May 22.

Mr Dipke said in a post on Instagram that young Indians “are far more mature, aware, and politically conscious than many give them credit for”.

“They understand their constitutional rights and will express their dissent through peaceful and democratic means,” he added.

‘Impossible to dislodge’

Opposition lawmaker Shashi Tharoor said the rapid popularity shows “the extent to which there is frustration and dissatisfaction” amongst India’s youth.

“I think it’s a very healthy thing in a democracy – that people have different ways of being able to express their wishes,” he told the Indian Express newspaper on May 22.

“Something that is satirical, humorous and, at the same time, deadly serious, is an excellent outlet for the frustrations of the youth.”

There was no immediate comment from the information technology ministry, but Indian media reported the X handle was blocked on the recommendation of the internal intelligence agency.

The Times of India dedicated its editorial on May 22 to the CJP.

“Roaches... scurry fearlessly into every nook and cranny, and are nigh impossible to dislodge, no matter how big the effort,” it said.

“We dare say CJP can be serious competition for existing political parties.” AFP