The X account of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical political campaign, was withheld in India on Thursday. The platform said the profile was blocked “in response to a legal demand.”
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to withhold the account under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, following inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Government officials said the IB raised concerns that the platform was posting “inflammatory content” that could threaten India’s sovereignty and national security.
“MeitY received an input from the IB to block the X account of Cockroach Janta Party, citing that it posed a threat to the sovereignty of India,” a senior official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because blocking orders are confidential. “The IB believed that the account was posting inflammatory content through its account, which could have jeopardised the country’s national security,” the official added.
The Origin
The Cockroach Janta Party was founded on May 16, 2026, by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Boston University student and political communications strategist who formerly worked with the Aam Aadmi Party.
The party describes itself as a “political front of the youth, by the youth, for the youth,” with the unconventional slogan: “Secular, Socialist, Democratic, Lazy.” By blending sharp humour and relatable memes with political messaging, the campaign generated massive engagement almost overnight.
The movement emerged as a satirical response to remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on May 15, 2026, in which he compared unemployed youth to “cockroaches” and “parasites of society” during a Supreme Court hearing. The Chief Justice later clarified that his remarks were directed at people using fake degrees to enter professions such as law, not at unemployed youth broadly.
The Growth
The online campaign was launched by Dipke, a Boston University graduate and former social media volunteer with the Aam Aadmi Party. The collective describes itself as a youth-led political movement that uses satire, memes, and online campaigns to raise issues such as unemployment, exam paper leaks, political accountability, and freedom of expression.
Within days of its founding, the movement garnered over 350,000 sign-ups and 16 million social media followers.
The suspension occurred shortly after the satirical campaign overtook the ruling BJP’s follower count on Instagram, adding a fresh dimension to a meme-led digital campaign that had taken the internet by storm.
The Reaction
Hours after the original account was withheld, Dipke posted a two-word message on the platform: “Own goal.”
He did not stop there. Dipke launched a new alternative account under the handle “Cockroach is Back,” featuring the defiant biography: “Cockroaches don’t die.” With just two initial posts, the backup profile rapidly secured over 25,000 followers.
Dipke also said he fears arrest if he returns to India. “I feel that as soon as I land at Delhi airport, a convoy of Delhi Police will take me to Tihar Jail,” Dipke said in a recent interview. No official charges or legal action against him have been confirmed publicly.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor commented on the party’s viral rise, saying the Cockroach Janta Party shows people frustrated with the government — a remark reported in The Indian Express.
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