CJP, which uses the cockroach as its political symbol, gained traction through memes and parody posts focused on unemployment, exam leaks, and youth frustration.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI: What began as a bizarre internet joke mocking India’s political and social frustrations has now spiralled into claims of hacking, censorship, and threats. Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the viral “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP), alleged on Saturday that nearly all major social media accounts linked to the movement had either been hacked, withheld, or taken down, just days after the satirical campaign exploded online and amassed millions of followers.
Dipke claimed the action was part of a wider “crackdown” targeting the digital movement, which in less than two weeks transformed from an obscure meme page into one of India’s biggest online political satire trends.
In a post on X, Dipke wrote:
“Crackdown on Cockroach Janta Party.
Instagram page hacked.
My personal Instagram hacked.
Twitter account withheld.
Backup account also taken down.”
Crackdown on Cockroach Janta Party.
– Instagram page hacked.
– My personal Instagram hacked.
– Twitter account withheld
– Back up account also taken down.@abhijeet_dipke @Cockroachisback pic.twitter.com/cZMNJpjmSV— Cockroch is Back (@helloGr0k) May 23, 2026
He later issued a public clarification saying the party currently has no access to any of its platforms and urged followers not to trust any new posts appearing on the accounts.
“Please note that we currently do not have access to any of our platforms. Any post made after this should not be considered an official statement from the Cockroach Janata Party,” he wrote.
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The sudden disappearance and restriction of accounts came after the Cockroach Janata Party witnessed a staggering rise across social media. Its Instagram page reportedly crossed 19 million followers within days, making it one of the fastest-growing satirical political movements online.
Dipke, a student at Boston University and a former associate of the Aam Aadmi Party, launched the campaign as a parody-driven political platform aimed at channeling the anger, frustration, and humour of unemployed and digitally active youth.
Using the cockroach as its political symbol, the movement flooded Instagram and X with mock campaign posters, fake manifestos, satirical speeches, memes, and anti-establishment commentary. Much of the content revolved around unemployment, exam paper leaks, economic anxiety, education, and the growing disconnect many young Indians feel from mainstream politics.
Dipke has repeatedly described the movement as “the voice of the lazy and unemployed,” a deliberately provocative slogan that resonated strongly with younger internet users.
The origins of the trend can be traced to controversy surrounding remarks allegedly made by Surya Kant during a court hearing on senior lawyer designations. Reports circulating online had claimed that the Chief Justice referred to people entering the legal profession through fake degrees as “parasites” and “cockroaches.”
According to Dipke, those reports inspired the idea behind the Cockroach Janata Party.
However, the Chief Justice later clarified that he had been misquoted and that his comments were specifically aimed at individuals obtaining “fake and bogus degrees,” not at ordinary citizens or young professionals in general.
Despite the clarification, the imagery of the “cockroach” rapidly evolved into a viral online identity symbolising disillusionment, exclusion, and economic frustration among sections of young Indians. The movement soon spilled beyond satire, attracting political commentary, parody campaigns, merchandise, memes, and even mock “digital rallies.”
The platform’s explosive growth also brought controversy. Earlier this week, Dipke claimed he had received death threats on WhatsApp after the campaign began trending nationally.
Sharing screenshots of the alleged messages, he wrote: “Receiving death threats now.”
According to Dipke, the sender allegedly threatened him over the Cockroach Janata Party account and pressured him to either shut the platform down or join the BJP.
The claims have added another layer of controversy to a movement that has rapidly blurred the line between meme culture, political satire, and digital activism in India’s increasingly polarised online space.
