India's Cockroach Janata Party Gains Millions of Followers as Gen Z Voice

A five‑day‑old Instagram group called the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has amassed nearly 15 million followers, outpacing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s Instagram audience. Founded by 30‑year‑old Abhijeet Dipke, the movement brands itself as the “Voice of the Lazy and Unemployed” and seeks to inject Generation Z concerns—such as inflation, unemployment, media independence and gender‑parity in parliament—into India’s political discourse.

The CJP’s content ranges from humor‑laden graphics to commentary on the cancellation of a national medical college entrance test affecting about 2.3 million students. A Deloitte Global survey cited in the group’s posts highlighted high financial stress among Indian Gen Z, with many postponing major life decisions like home‑buying. Dipke says the movement will remain peaceful and democratic, distancing itself from street protests in neighboring Bangladesh and Nepal.

More than 400 000 people have signed up as CJP members via a Google form, over 70 % of whom are aged 19‑25. The group calls for measures such as reserving half of parliamentary and cabinet seats for women and criticises what it sees as a lack of youth representation in mainstream politics.