According to the petition, the organization is accused of exploiting oral remarks made by the Chief Justice of India during a hearing on May 15, in which unemployed youth were allegedly referred to as “cockroaches.” The controversy escalated when the Cockroach Janata Party was formed a day later, on May 16, in response to the remark.
The party’s founder, Abhijit Deepke, a 30-year-old digital media strategist from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, recently claimed that his Instagram account had been restored. In a video posted on social media, he stated that he had regained control of the account and shared an image of a cockroach along with the post. He had earlier alleged that both the party’s and his personal accounts had been hacked.
Deepke also shared follower analytics on the social media platform X, claiming that more than 94 percent of his followers were based in India. He further questioned Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, referring to his earlier post that did not name anyone but suggested that certain individuals were gaining followers through networks linked to Pakistan and George Soros, asserting that India has sufficient youth talent and does not require external support or influence.
Meanwhile, police have been deployed for 24-hour security outside Deepke’s residence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as a precautionary measure. Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Atulkar confirmed that the deployment was preventive, citing the viral nature of the Cockroach Janata Party controversy and the need to prevent crowd gatherings. He clarified that no official threat had been received.
The party’s website also remains inaccessible, displaying an error message indicating that the site cannot be reached. Deepke had earlier claimed that the platform had been shut down after allegedly receiving over one million registrations, including approximately 600,000 signatures on a petition demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Despite claims of hacking, the Cockroach Janata Party’s Instagram following reportedly surged to 22.7 million, while Abhijit Deepke’s account on X crossed 218,000 followers.
Deepke, who previously worked as a social media strategist for the Aam Aadmi Party between 2020 and 2022, reportedly contributed to viral meme-based political campaigns during the Delhi Assembly elections. He later left the role to pursue higher studies and is currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Public Relations at Boston University in the United States after completing journalism studies in Pune.
He has remained active on social media, frequently commenting on issues such as farmer protests and inflation, while also posting criticism of the central government and the Prime Minister.
The case has now evolved into a broader legal and political controversy, raising questions over the use of judicial remarks, digital activism, and the boundaries of online political expression in India.
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