The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical political group that has exploded in popularity online, says its website has been blocked days after launch.
AI-generated image of a Cockroach Janta Party press conference.
The group, which mocks the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was formed after India's chief justice reportedly compared unemployed youth to cockroaches. He later clarified he was referring to those with false degrees.
Founder Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University student and political strategist, claims the website was taken down by Indian authorities and asked why they were "so scared of cockroaches." The group's official X page is also blocked in India, displaying a message it was withheld "in response to a legal demand."
Dipke says his personal Instagram and the group's account have also been hacked. The CJP has amassed over 22 million Instagram followers, more than double the BJP's, and its hashtag #MainBhiCockroach has gone viral.
The group's tongue-in-cheek membership criteria include being "chronically online" and having "the ability to rant professionally." Dipke says the craze reflects deep discontent among India's young over high unemployment and a feeling of being ignored by mainstream politics.