The Cockroach Janta party (CJP) originated in May as a satirical response to comments by India’s chief justice characterizing unemployed youth as parasites and cockroaches. Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old recently returned from university in the United States, launched the party as an online joke but saw it rapidly gain massive traction. The movement’s name parodies Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), and within two weeks, the CJP’s Instagram following exceeded 22 million accounts, surpassing even the BJP itself.
The party coalesced around the critical issue of repeated leaks affecting India’s medical entrance examinations, known as NEET. With competition exceeding 2 million students vying for approximately 130,000 positions, families often deplete savings for coaching and preparation. The CJP mobilized supporters around demands for government accountability and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The movement also tapped into broader discontent among younger generations facing unemployment, with studies indicating nearly 40 percent joblessness among graduates under 25.
Protests began in early June in Delhi, escalating later that month when demonstrators pledged to remain in place until Pradhan’s departure. Engineer and education activist Sonam Wangchuk, previously detained under terror laws, joined the movement and initiated a Gandhian hunger strike. After 20 days, Delhi police forcibly removed Wangchuk to a hospital, drawing national condemnation and spurring his call for supporters to march on parliament.
On Monday, the protest expanded into one of India’s largest anti-government demonstrations in recent years, with over 20,000 people gathering despite police denial of march permits. The government implemented internet shutdowns and erected barriers, with police employing baton charges and teargas when protesters advanced toward parliament. The Modi administration offered only a brief 10-minute meeting where CJP leaders presented three demands without securing commitments. As of late Monday, the CJP signaled its intention to maintain the protest indefinitely until Pradhan resigned.