Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, May 22: The sudden social media success of the satirical digital platform “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) has sparked concern and anxiety within the family of its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, whose parents say they are struggling with sleepless nights amid fears over his growing public visibility.
Abhijeet Dipke, a student at Boston University and formerly associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, launched the online platform barely a week ago. In a matter of days, CJP amassed more than 19 million followers on Instagram, rapidly emerging as one of the most talked-about satire-based political pages on social media.
However, the unexpected popularity has left Dipke’s parents, Bhagwan and Anita Dipke, deeply worried about their son’s future and safety. Speaking to a Marathi news channel on Thursday, the couple said they had never wanted Abhijeet to step into politics and instead hoped he would pursue a stable professional career.
The digital platform reportedly originated after a controversy surrounding remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. During a hearing related to a lawyer’s plea seeking senior designation, terms such as “parasites” and “cockroaches” became part of public discussion. Although the CJI later clarified that his observations were aimed specifically at individuals entering the legal profession with fake qualifications, the phrase triggered widespread reactions online.
Capitalising on the viral debate, Dipke launched the “Cockroach Janta Party,” using the insect as its political symbol and turning it into a satire-driven movement focused on youth centric issues.
Bhagwan Dipke admitted that the political atmosphere in the country makes him fearful about his son’s sudden fame. He said Abhijeet himself had expressed concerns in interviews about the possibility of facing legal trouble upon returning to India.
“As parents, fear is natural when someone becomes so publicly visible in politics and satire. We hear about arrests and controversies every day. I have not slept properly for the past two nights,” Bhagwan said.
Abhijeet’s mother Anita also expressed concern over her son’s involvement in political commentary. She said the family’s only wish is for him to return home safely and focus on building a stable career rather than remaining active in politics.
“We never wanted him to enter this field. Whether he continues is his choice, but I cannot support it because I constantly worry about him,” she said.
The parents shared details about Abhijeet’s academic journey, saying he completed his schooling in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar before moving to Pune for higher studies. According to Anita, engineering studies proved challenging for him, prompting a shift towards mass communication and journalism.
Bhagwan Dipke added that his son later moved abroad for journalism studies because his sister was already living overseas. He said the family had hoped Abhijeet would eventually settle into a professional job in cities like Pune or Delhi instead of taking an uncertain political path.
Interestingly, the family learned about the online popularity of the Cockroach Janta Party through neighbours and relatives. Anita said one of her grandchildren later informed her that Abhijeet’s social media following had surpassed that of many major public personalities in the country.
Before launching CJP, Abhijeet had worked with the Aam Aadmi Party, something his parents had also opposed at the time.
Despite the concerns at home, the Cockroach Janta Party has gained massive traction among young audiences online through political memes, animations, satire videos and digital manifestos. Much of the content revolves around issues affecting the youth, including unemployment, examination paper leaks, rising educational pressures and governance-related criticism.
The rapid rise of the platform highlights how satire and meme-based political commentary are increasingly shaping online conversations among younger generations, particularly on platforms like Instagram.