New Delhi Police Issue Notices to 'Cockroach Janata Party' Organizers Over Unauthorized Protest at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi Police issued notices to organizers of the self-styled Cockroach Janata Party before its planned demonstration on Saturday at Jantar Mantar, citing lack of prior permission for the gathering. The group, which originated as an online movement, proceeded with its first physical protest calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The protest followed a May Supreme Court hearing in which Chief Justice Surya Kant compared certain critics and unemployed youth to cockroaches. In response, Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University student and political communications strategist, launched the Cockroach Janata Party Instagram account. The account gained more than 15 million followers within a week.

Organizers directed participants to carry the Indian national flag and a book, stating the items symbolized demands for equal access to education. According to organizers, the gathering remained peaceful with instructions to avoid confrontation. The demonstration centered on an exam irregularity controversy that emerged in May.

The movement has featured parody accounts and memes addressing unemployment, corruption, and political dysfunction. Supporters have adopted the cockroach as a symbol of endurance, with many describing themselves as unemployed and excluded from influence.

Young people constitute more than a quarter of India’s population and face limited job prospects and rising unemployment, according to the group.

Police had previously warned organizers against proceeding without requisite permissions. Past protests against the government have sometimes resulted in legal action and arrests, according to reporting on the event.

Skeptics, including supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, described the effort as a temporary social-media trend unlikely to generate lasting street mobilization.