Lead

The founder of an online satirical political movement that mocked India’s governing party has accused the government of taking down the group’s official website. Abhijeet Dipke, a student at Boston University who founded the so-called Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), said on X on Saturday that the government had taken down the “iconic” website.

Dipke also said his personal Instagram account and the CJP’s Instagram account had been hacked. The CJP’s Instagram page has attracted more than 22 million followers since it was launched a week ago, according to reports from Al Jazeera.

Coverage comparison

Al Jazeera provided the primary coverage of this story, with multiple articles reporting on the website takedown, the hacking of accounts, and the movement's rapid growth. The same reporting across these articles confirms core facts: Dipke founded the CJP, the website was taken down, and the movement claims over one million sign-ups and 600,000 petition signatures.

Key claims

  • Website takedown: Dipke stated the government took down the CJP’s website, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Instagram following: The CJP’s Instagram page has over 22 million followers, compared to the BJP’s nine million, according to Al Jazeera.
  • Movement size: Dipke claims one million people have signed up to join the movement, and 600,000 have signed a petition calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
  • Origin of the movement: The CJP was launched in response to comments by Chief Justice Surya Kant, who compared unemployed young people to cockroaches. Kant later clarified his remarks, saying they were aimed at people who acquire fraudulent degrees and described youth as “pillars of a developed India,” as reported by Al Jazeera.

Perspectives

Founder's perspective – Abhijeet Dipke (as quoted by Al Jazeera)

Dipke says the government’s takedown of the website is an attempt to silence his satirical movement, which he launched a week ago. He described the website as “iconic” and accused the government of censorship.

Judge's clarification

Chief Justice Surya Kant, in a subsequent clarification reported by Al Jazeera, said his earlier comments about cockroaches were aimed at individuals acquiring fraudulent degrees, not at India’s youth, whom he called “the pillars of a developed India.”

Public response

The movement has grown rapidly, resembling a broader tide of youth frustration over unemployment and inflation. Protests have broken out across the country calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation after allegations of exam paper leaks, as reported by Al Jazeera.

This article is based on reporting from Al Jazeera as of the time of publication. Additional or conflicting details may emerge from other sources.