'Don’t take it...': CJI as Cockroach Janta Party row reaches Supreme Court

CHief justness of republic of india Surya immanuel kant on mon urged lawyers non to react “so sentimentally” as the Supreme Court declined urgent hearing on pleas linked to the viral Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement that emerged after his controversial courtroom remarks.A bench led by CJI Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and VM Pancholi, said there was “no such grave urgency” in the matter and the petitions would be examined in due course.The comments came after advocates mentioned two PILs before the court — one seeking action against alleged commercial use of courtroom observations and another seeking a CBI probe into the activities associated with the satirical Cockroach Janta Party campaign.When advocate NK Goswami argued that the online movement was tarnishing the image of the judiciary, the CJI remarked: “Don’t take it so sentimentally.”PILs target satire movement, fake degree allegationsOne of the petitions, filed by advocate Raja Choudhary, sought a CBI probe into alleged fake advocates and fraudulent law degrees. It also sought action against what it described as monetised circulation of oral courtroom observations from recent Supreme Court hearings.Another plea specifically targeted the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical internet movement that has exploded across social media over the past week.The controversy stems from oral remarks made by the CJI during a hearing concerning alleged fake law degrees and senior advocate designations.During the exchange, the CJI criticised what he described as a culture of institutional attacks and referred to “parasites of society.” He also remarked that some unemployed youth become “like cockroaches” attacking institutions through media, social media activism and RTI campaigns.The remarks triggered immediate backlash online, with many social media users accusing the judiciary of insulting unemployed youth.The CJI later clarified that his comments were being “misquoted” and were directed at individuals entering professions using “fake and bogus degrees,” not unemployed youth generally.How the Cockroach Janta Party became India’s biggest internet phenomenonWhat may have initially appeared to be another fleeting meme cycle has rapidly transformed into one of India’s biggest online political phenomena.Founded by Abhijeet Dipke, the Cockroach Janta Party describes itself as the “Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed” and openly identifies as satire. But the movement has struck a nerve among younger Indians frustrated with unemployment, inflation, political privilege and institutional disconnect.Within just days of launch, the movement amassed millions of followers on Instagram, overtaking the BJP.The party’s Instagram strategy combines absurdist humour, mock revolutionary imagery, exaggerated political slogans and satire aimed at unemployment and governance failures.Its manifesto includes demands such as:No post-retirement Rajya Sabha seats for Chief JusticesElectoral reforms and action against deleted votesGreater representation for womenCrackdowns on misinformationLonger bans for defecting legislators