‘Cockroach Janata Party’ Sparks Political Debate as Pinarayi Vijayan Criticises Crackdown

The rapidly growing “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP), which began as a satirical political platform on social media, has now turned into a major talking point across political circles. Kerala opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the BJP is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the rising popularity of the movement. He criticised the Centre’s approach towards democratic protests and questioned actions taken against social media accounts linked to the organisation and its founder, Abhijeet Dipke.

Founded by youth activist Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP gained massive traction online within a short period, with some platforms reportedly showing higher engagement than major political parties. Following the suspension of the organisation’s X and Instagram accounts, Dipke’s personal social media account was also reportedly restricted, triggering widespread debate. Pinarayi Vijayan stated that such satirical protests should not be viewed as threats and warned that restricting freedom of expression could harm democratic values. The movement has also started attracting attention beyond India, including discussions in neighbouring countries like Pakistan.