Cockroach Janta Party founder arrives in New Delhi to lead anti-Modi protest
Sonam Wangchuk warns of hunger strike if protest leader is arrested
New Delhi: The founder of India’s viral Cockroach Janta Party arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to lead a protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, marking the movement’s first major street mobilization after gaining significant online support.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Abhijeet Dipke, 30, who has lived in the United States for the past two years, had expressed concerns that his family and friends feared he could be arrested on his return to India. He urged supporters to maintain discipline and ensure that the protest at Jantar Mantar remains peaceful.
In a post on X, Dipke encouraged participants to bring a book and the Indian flag, and to offer flowers to police personnel as a “gesture of compassion and gratitude,” stressing that the movement should be conducted with “love and peace.”
The protest at Jantar Mantar comes after the Cockroach Janta Party amassed roughly 22 million Instagram followers since mid-May, becoming one of the largest online expressions of dissent against the BJP-led Hindutva government. The movement has drawn attention due to widespread youth unemployment, recurring leaks of examination papers, and growing frustration over governance failures.
Security in New Delhi was stepped up ahead of the protest. Over 1,000 police personnel were deployed across strategic locations, with roads near Jantar Mantar barricaded as protesters raised slogans demanding the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“This is a peaceful movement for the youth of the nation,” said movement spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, adding that Dipke is “ready for a long and significant day in India’s politics.”
The Modi’s government has blocked the movement’s X account in India, a move the Cockroach Janta Party has challenged in a Delhi court.
The group, which has amassed roughly 22 million Instagram followers since launching in mid-May, is the largest online expression of dissent against the BJP-led Hindutva government’s 12-year-old rule, fuelled by persistently high youth unemployment and recurring leaks of examination papers that threaten to derail the careers of millions of students.
Ladakhi activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has voiced support for the protest, warned he would undertake a six-week fast if Dipke is arrested. Wangchuk urged participants to cooperate with authorities, carry only essentials, and bring flowers as a symbol of peace.
Political analysts say the group’s popularity has begun to dent Modi’s image, even as wider frustration grows over rising fuel prices and gas shortages brought by the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Economists highlight that India’s urban youth jobless rate stood at nearly 14% in April, with many educated young people stuck in low-paid or insecure employment that does not match their skills, fuelling frustration and dissent.
