Satirical 'Cockroach' movement gains traction in India following judicial remarks

A satirical social media campaign known as the 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP) has emerged in India, following comments made by Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant. During a hearing on Friday, Justice Kant referred to unemployed youth turning to journalism or activism as 'cockroaches' and 'parasites'. Although the Justice later clarified he was specifically addressing individuals with 'fake degrees' rather than the entire youth population, the remarks triggered widespread backlash online. The CJP was established by political consultant Abhijeet Dipke as a parody of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The movement, using the hashtag #MainBhiCockroach, claims to represent unemployed and disgruntled youth. Within five days, it gathered over 16 million social media followers, surpassing the reported online presence of the governing BJP. The initiative remains a digital political satire project rather than an official political party.