NEW DELHI: Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the viral 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP), is set to return to India on June 6. Following his return, Dipke has announced a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where he will demand the resignation of the Education Minister. He shared this information via his new X (formerly Twitter) handle, ‘Cockroach Is Back’.
The announcement comes amidst an ongoing legal battle over the suspension of the original CJP X account, which the central government blocked citing national security concerns.
Who is Abhijeet Dipke and What is CJP?
The Cockroach Janta Party is a popular social media initiative that gained massive traction following a recent "cockroach" remark made by Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant. The satirical platform has grown exponentially, boasting over 20 million (2 crore) followers on Instagram.
Abhijeet Dipke's Background:
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Early Life & Education: The 30-year-old digital media strategist hails from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), Maharashtra. He studied journalism in Pune and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Public Relations at Boston University in the United States.
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Political Stint: From 2020 to 2022, Dipke worked as a social media strategist for Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). During the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, he was instrumental in creating viral, meme-based online campaign material for the party.
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Shift to the US: In a recent interview, Dipke revealed that he left AAP to seek personal and financial stability, successfully applying to Boston University and relocating to America. Over the years, he has frequently targeted the central government and the Prime Minister on his X account over issues ranging from the farmers' protests to inflation.
Delhi High Court Declines Immediate Relief for CJP Account
On May 29, the Delhi High Court refused to pass an immediate order lifting the ban on the Cockroach Janta Party's original X account. The court has sought responses from both the Central Government and X within four weeks. Dipke had approached the court challenging the blocking order, arguing that CJP is purely a political and social satire platform and that blocking the entire account—rather than specific objectionable posts—was unjustified.
Key Courtroom Arguments:
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The Bench's Stance: The bench, led by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, stated that an unblocking order could not be passed without hearing the government's side, given the wider implications and far-reaching consequences of the case. The next hearing is scheduled for July 6.
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Lack of Clarity on the Ban: The court noted that the exact reasons for the blocking order remain unclear, as neither the petitioner nor the court has seen the official order yet.
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Government's Defense: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued against passing any ex-parte orders, suggesting that the intermediary (X) appeared to be assisting the petitioner. He assured the court that the blocking order and the complete record would be presented if required.
National Security Citations and the "Cockroach is Back" Phenomenon
According to reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to block the account under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. This action was reportedly based on inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) citing national security concerns.
The original CJP account was suspended on May 21 when it had over 193,000 followers. Shortly after the ban, the organization launched a new account named ‘Cockroach Is Back’ with the bio “Cockroaches don't die.” The new account quickly gained traction, amassing over 240,000 followers within days.
Meanwhile, a BJP worker has filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court, demanding that Abhijeet Dipke be brought back to India to face legal scrutiny.
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