Cockroach Janata Party Founder Abhijeet Dipke to Return to India on This Day; what is His Plan?
New Delhi: Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the social media-based Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), has announced that he will return to India on June 6 and stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. According to Dipke, one of the primary demands of this protest will be the resignation of the Union Education Minister.
Dipke shared this announcement via his X (formerly Twitter) account under the banner "Cockroach Is Back," signaling his return to active political and social commentary in India.
The Cockroach Janata Party emerged on social media following a controversial "cockroach" remark allegedly made by Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant. What began as an online movement soon garnered immense popularity; reports suggest that the CJP's Instagram account amassed over 2 crore followers in a very short span of time.
A native of Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad) in Maharashtra, the 30-year-old Dipke studied journalism in Pune before moving to the United States. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Public Relations at Boston University.
Before leaving India, Dipke worked as a social media strategist for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) between 2020 and 2022. During the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, he was involved in creating meme-based and viral digital content for the party's online campaign.
In previous interviews, Dipke explained that he decided to leave the AAP to focus on his personal priorities and improve his financial situation. After securing admission to Boston University, he moved to the U.S. to pursue his higher studies.
Even while residing abroad, Dipke has remained active on social media, frequently voicing his criticism of the Central Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The subjects of his criticism include farmers' protests, inflation, and other political developments.
Legal Battle Over X Account Continues
Meanwhile, the X account of the Cockroach Janata Party remains suspended, and the hearing regarding this matter is currently underway in the Delhi High Court.
On May 29, the Court declined to grant the interim relief sought by Dipke for the restoration of the account. Instead, the Court directed both the government and X to file their responses within four weeks. While hearing the matter, a bench headed by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav observed that, given the broader implications of the case, an order to restore the account could not be issued without first hearing the government's stance.
Dipke has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the blocking of the account. The next hearing is scheduled for July 6.
With plans to return to India and stage protests in the national capital, Dipke appears poised to bring the online movement back into the public spotlight, even as the legal battle concerning CJP's social media presence continues.