SRINAGAR: During an open court hearing, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made remarks which, over the past few days, have shaped a new movement, or a party not yet officially registered. The “Cockroach Janata Party” is a new group currently receiving a significant response from India’s youngsters, many of whom have been battling an unemployment crisis over the past few years. Justice Kant’s remarks on “employment” triggered reactions among youngsters across the country.
The exact comments made by the Justice were: “There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists, and they start attacking everyone.” These remarks triggered reactions among youngsters across the country, and that anger has now evolved into a movement which, over the last few days, has gained millions of followers across different social media platforms.
Abhijet Dipke, the man behind this viral movement, which has recently become one of the most searched topics on the internet, completed an undergraduate degree in Journalism before moving to the United States, where he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Relations at Boston University while working as a political communication strategist. Although several media organisations based in India have attempted to contact Dipke, they reportedly met with little success. He has also volunteered for the Aam Aadmi Party and has been involved in its digital campaigning.
The name of the party, “Cockroach”, has been one of the most eye-catching aspects of the movement. The term was derived from Justice Kant’s “cockroach” remark. Since the movement started gaining momentum, Justice Kant has clarified his comments by describing India’s youth as pillars of a “developed India”.
Currently, the social media accounts of the movement, “Cockroach Janata Party”, have crossed 4.9 million followers on Instagram, while its following on X has surpassed one lakh followers. Internet users in India have started posting messages on their timelines stating, “Proud to be a Cockroach”.
India is currently facing a significant unemployment crisis, with youngsters, despite earning degrees and spending large amounts of money on private colleges, struggling to secure jobs, pushing some towards mental health challenges.
According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, India’s unemployment rate stood at 5.2 per cent as of April 2026. Youngsters across the country have increasingly turned to odd jobs, while some have stopped searching for employment altogether. The government has maintained that the current job crisis is largely the result of economic hardships that began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the world faced prolonged lockdowns. The recent U.S.-Iran conflict has also reportedly led to further layoffs. Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCLTech and Mahindra have either laid off employees or restructured parts of their workforce.
India produces more than 50 lakh graduates annually from its 52,000 colleges and 1,300 universities, but the number of jobs generated has not kept pace, contributing to concerns over unemployment.
Eligibility for the Party
The poster outlining eligibility for joining the movement across different social media platforms has kept the criteria simple, though many believe it reflects a larger picture. According to the movement, those wishing to join should be “unemployed”, “lazy”, “chronically online”, and possess the “ability to rant professionally”.
Youngsters across the country have strongly connected with these four phrases, resulting in the movement gaining a large audience within hours. Many have added “Proud to be a Cockroach” to their social media accounts, reigniting debate over unemployment, which has increasingly pushed youngsters to seek jobs in the Middle East and European countries.
Many people have urged the movement on social media platforms to register itself as a political party, but as of the filing of this report, no such development had taken place. Dipke, 30, has spent the last few days responding to online queries while balancing his academic commitments and the growing popularity of the movement, which has gained lakhs of followers. Youngsters, in particular, are waiting to see what direction the movement takes in the coming months.
A New Hope Emerges
In India, there is currently no major political party completely dominated by youngsters. Amid such circumstances, this internet-driven movement has given a sense of hope to many young people, although political experts believe it would be difficult for such a movement to transform into a formal political party.
Youngsters across social media have praised the movement, while some have expressed hope that it may eventually evolve into a political party. “I want to join the Cockroach Janata Party as a member from West Bengal. I am ready to support the party and help lead its activities in my state with dedication and responsibility,” one user wrote online.
A movement born from remarks made by the country’s top judge has now become one of the most searched topics online in India. However, its future remains uncertain, with questions over whether it will eventually follow a political roadmap or remain, as some experts describe it, “a moment of anger” on the internet.
