New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court is scheduled to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) today seeking action against the social media-based “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP), a satirical online movement that gained widespread attention last month.
The matter is listed before a Bench of Justice Shekhar B Saraf and Justice Abdesh Kumar Chaudhary. The petition has been filed by BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir.
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What Does the Petition Seek?
The petitioner has asked the Court to direct authorities to block all social media accounts linked to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and the organisation across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal.
The plea also seeks the removal of videos, posts, reels and other online content related to Dipke and the CJP, alleging that they misrepresent and misuse observations made by the Supreme Court.
Demand for SIT Probe, Criminal Action
The PIL has sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate what it describes as a foreign-funded information warfare campaign linked to the CJP.
The petitioner has further requested that agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) register criminal cases against Dipke and others associated with the movement.
In addition, the plea seeks the issuance of a Look-Out Circular against Dipke and the initiation of extradition proceedings to bring him back to India from the United States.
How Did the Cockroach Janata Party Begin?
The Cockroach Janata Party emerged as an online satirical movement following Supreme Court proceedings on May 15.
During the hearing, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern about some unemployed youth turning to social media activity and RTI-related activism. In an oral remark, he said such individuals were becoming “like cockroaches” and acting as parasites in society.
The Chief Justice later clarified that the comment was directed at people with fake degrees engaging in such activities and not at unemployed youth in general.
The remark quickly went viral online, leading to the creation of the Cockroach Janata Party, which soon attracted a large following on social media.
Allegations Made in the PIL
The petition claims that the CJP is a foreign-funded organisation working against India’s sovereignty, integrity and security. It also alleges that former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the “invisible hand” behind the movement.
According to the plea, Dipke has been assigning tasks and targets to supporters through online platforms to build a mass movement against the Government of India and judicial institutions. The petitioner argues that such activities amount to an attempt to wage war against the country.
The High Court is expected to take up the matter later today.