Is Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) new political party of India’s Gen-Z?
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
NEW DELHI – A newly created social media movement in India, positioning itself as a voice for Generation Z concerns, has rapidly gone viral online and reportedly overtaken the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Instagram followers, drawing attention to issues such as unemployment, inflation and political representation. The group, calling itself the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has gained nearly 20 million followers within a week, compared with the BJP’s reported following of under nine million. The BJP is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and describes itself as the world’s largest political party. Founded by 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke, the movement uses a cockroach outline on a mobile phone as its logo and describes itself as the “voice of the lazy and unemployed.” Dipke, who has been based in Boston for the past two years, said the initiative aims to reshape political discourse by bringing youth-related concerns into the mainstream. He said the name was inspired by recent remarks attributed to India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant, who reportedly used a cockroach analogy while commenting on issues related to unemployment and fake academic degrees. According to Dipke, the movement reflects frustration among young people who feel excluded from political conversations and policymaking. He said the group seeks to highlight issues such as job scarcity, financial stress, and lack of opportunities. The CJP’s social media content includes satirical graphics and videos discussing topics ranging from media independence to proposals advocating greater representation for women in parliament and cabinet positions. It has also highlighted recent disruptions in India’s education sector, including the cancellation of a major medical entrance examination following a reported paper leak affecting millions of students. The rise of the online movement comes amid broader concerns about youth unemployment and economic pressure in India. A recent Deloitte Global survey indicated