Founder of satirical Indian party slapped during Jaipur protest

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, was slapped repeatedly by two men during a crowded rally in Jaipur on Monday. Supporters lifted him onto their shoulders when the attackers emerged from the crowd. Dipke urged followers not to retaliate as they attempted to detain the men.

Dipke stated that physical attacks signal fear and cowardice. He pledged to continue peaceful, democratic protests focused on exam irregularities affecting more than one crore students. In a video message he said the movement would not deviate from its core demands.

Background of the movement The Cockroach Janta Party formed last month after India's chief justice compared critics and unemployed youth to cockroaches during a Supreme Court hearing. Dipke, a political communications strategist and Boston University student, adopted the term to highlight resilience among students facing canceled exams and limited job prospects.

The party's Instagram account gained more than 22.5 million followers within a week of launch. The group has staged protests across cities demanding the resignation of the education minister over the leaked national medical entrance exam. Demonstrations have also addressed broader youth concerns about India's education system and employment opportunities.

Response and investigation In a social media post, Dipke alleged the attackers belonged to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. A party spokesperson said the assailants belong to a national party and that their faces have been identified. Police stated five individuals were detained and questioned, with an investigation examining the full sequence of events.

One suspected attacker, identified as Rakesh Gurjar, told the Indian Express he struck Dipke for misleading people and described himself as a nationalist from Jaipur unaffiliated with any party.