Delhi HC seeks response from Centre, X over Cockroach Janta Party’s handle being withheld
The matter came up before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav after Dipke challenged the legality of the action taken against the satirical digital group’s account. In the petition, the reason for the account being detained was questioned and a request for judicial intervention was made.
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Dipke, who was previously associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, launched the Cockroach Janta Party earlier this month amid controversy over remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during the Supreme Court hearing on May 15. Statements during the hearing that referred to “cockroaches” and “parasites” sparked outrage online, especially among young social media users. The CJI later clarified that his comments were directed at individuals entering the legal profession with “fake and forged degrees” and said his words had been misquoted.
The original X handle of Cockroach Janta Party was discontinued in India on May 21. Following the ban, the group created a new handle called “Cockroaches Are Back”, which quickly gained a large following online. The movement used satire, memes and digital campaigns to highlight issues such as youth unemployment, rising costs of living and alleged failings in the education system.
In his petition, Dipke claimed that the transaction against the account was carried out for reasons related to national security. The plea raised questions about online censorship, freedom of expression and the powers used to block social media accounts in India.
The Cockroach Janta Party has gained rapid traction among young users on social media platforms over the last two weeks. Reports said the movement began as a satirical response but later evolved into a broader online campaign around governance, exams and employment concerns. Dipke recently claimed that the party’s Instagram account was also hacked and its website was also blocked.
