Cockroach Janta Party Website Taken Down, Founder Calls It ‘Dictatorial Behaviour’
The youth-led online movement said its official website was removed amid growing digital action against its social media presence, sparking fresh debate over free speech and online dissent.
The official website of the rapidly growing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was taken down on Saturday, days after the group’s social media accounts reportedly faced restrictions and hacking attempts. Founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the government of “dictatorial behaviour” and said the crackdown was aimed at silencing young voices raising issues related to unemployment and education.
According to Dipke, the website, cockroachjantaparty.org went offline as part of a broader digital crackdown on the movement. Earlier, the party’s official X account was withheld, while its backup Instagram page was reportedly removed. Dipke also claimed that both his personal Instagram account and the party’s main Instagram account had been hacked.
The Cockroach Janta Party emerged online last week after controversy surrounding remarks linked to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a hearing on granting “senior” designation to lawyers. During the proceedings, references to “cockroaches” and “parasites” triggered widespread reactions online. The Chief Justice later clarified that his remarks had been misquoted and were aimed only at individuals entering the legal profession using “fake and bogus degrees”.
What began as a satire-driven online campaign soon transformed into a wider digital protest movement among young people. Through memes, videos and political commentary, the platform started raising concerns over unemployment, examination paper leaks, education-related issues and governance.
Dipke claimed that nearly 10 lakh people had registered as members through the party’s website, while around six lakh users signed an online petition demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.
In a strongly worded post on X, Dipke wrote, “Why is the government so scared of cockroaches? But this dictatorial behaviour is opening the eyes of India’s youth. Our only crime is we were demanding a better future for ourselves.” He further added, “We’re working on a new home right now. Cockroaches never die.”
Despite the alleged crackdown, the movement has continued to gain traction online. By Saturday afternoon, the party’s Instagram following reportedly crossed 22 million users, surpassing the official Instagram followings of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party.
The movement has also attracted attention from political leaders and activists. Leaders including Mahua Moitra, Kirti Azad and Akhilesh Yadav have either interacted with or publicly acknowledged the campaign. Activists such as Prashant Bhushan and Anjali Bharadwaj have also engaged with the movement online.
The blocking of the CJP’s X account drew criticism from digital rights organisation Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), which termed the action a “blatant misuse of state power” and an attempt to curb free speech.
The controversy has now widened into a larger conversation around online dissent, youth frustration, freedom of expression and digital censorship in India.
