The now viral ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ that started as an online joke has received about 80,000 sign-ups in just three days after its launch.
The satirical movement was created by former AAP social media worker Abhijeet Dipke. He made the account 'Cockroach Janta Party' after Chief Justice Surya Kant likened unemployed youth in India to 'cockroaches'. Dipke invited unemployed youth to own the title using the account.
What initially started as satire and a joke has also turned into an actual movement offline.
On Monday, a group of youth volunteers carried out a cleanliness drive along the Yamuna river dressed like cockroaches and carrying pluck cards.
The clean-up initiative was a peaceful response to the CJI’s insult towards unemployed activists and social media commentators, according to the volunteers. The volunteers said that they chose to own the insult and turn it into public service.
Abhijeet Dipke, who started the “political party” is currently studying at Boston University in the US.
It started with a form to sign up. Within hours of launching, the form attracted nearly 15,000 sign-ups.
The tweets went so viral that Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad expressed interest in joining it.
“If you wish to join, hit the link below. Eligibility criteria: unemployed, lazy, chronically online, ability to rant professionally,” the post by the 'party's' account read.
Dipke’s satirical take on the situation went viral even as Justice Kant clarified that his comments were about people using a degree to enter professions such as law and media.
The CJP now has had about 80,000 sign ups. On X, it has about 37,000 followers, and its instagram page has over 12,000 followers.
On the party’s website, it says it is “A political party for the people the system forgot to count. Five demands. Zero sponsors. One large, stubborn swarm.”
The party also has a manifesto like the real parties. It promises ‘50 per cent reservation for women’ and action against ‘biased media and anchors.’
It also says ‘no Rajya Sabha seat’ for Chief Justices “post-retirement reward” and a 20 year ban against political defections. The manifesto was quick to gain attention. “Read it once. Read it twice. Then send it to someone who needs to read it,” it read.
The 30-year-old Dipke, said that the platform and the newly launched website is the 'voice of the lazy and unemployed', in an interview with Mint.
He also said that the account was created on a completely random thought.
"I think the biggest takeaway from the response is that young people in India are frustrated since no political party has done anything for them in the last few years. I think that is precisely why all have signed up as cockroaches,” he said.