The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday alleged that nearly half of the social media support for the viral Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) originated from Pakistan, with less than 10% coming from India. The statement came as the satirical digital campaign continues to gain traction online, sparking political controversy.
BJP's Allegations
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar told reporters, "49 per cent followers of 'Cockroach Janta Party' on social media are from Pakistan, while only 9 per cent are from India." The remarks were made amid growing debate over the campaign, which emerged last week and went viral through memes targeting issues such as unemployment, education policy, and alleged examination paper leaks.
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the CJP of being part of a "classic cross-border influence operation" aimed at destabilising India and targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. In a post on X, he said, "In the age of social media, bots, AI and its weaponisation, influence operations are dangerous, effective ways to destabilise by building fake, seemingly organic narratives." He alleged that sections of the opposition were amplifying the campaign and argued that India's rise under PM Modi had triggered resentment among "foreign vested interests."
Response to Allegations
Chandrasekhar further asserted that despite global crises ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic to geopolitical conflicts and economic disruptions, the Modi government had kept India "safe and resilient." He added, "No cockroach, no petty Indian opposition politician, no Modi-hating joker, no foreign vested interest can stop India's resolve to build a Viksit Bharat."
The 'Cockroach Janta Party' trend emerged following controversy around remarks allegedly made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a hearing on a plea seeking senior designation for a lawyer. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that the movement was facing coordinated action across platforms. "Instagram page hacked. My personal Instagram hacked. Twitter account withheld. Back-up account also taken down," Dipke claimed in a post on X, adding that the group no longer had access to any of its official handles.
Campaign Demands
The organisation had recently launched an online campaign demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged systemic failures in the education sector and the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. Dipke also claimed he had received death threats following the campaign and alleged that instead of action against those responsible for examination irregularities, authorities were targeting the satirical movement itself. The digital outfit's website was also taken down during the crackdown.
According to posts shared through backup handles, the movement claimed to have crossed "one million registered Cockroaches" within a week, while its Instagram presence had amassed millions of followers before access was lost.
