Shashi Tharoor backs Cockroach Janta Party, says youth need space for dissent; 'This must be taken up by the opposition'

Reacting to the rapid rise of satirical online movement ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP), Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the phenomenon reflects the growing frustration among the youth and should not be suppressed.

In a social media post, Tharoor said he was “incredibly impressed” by the movement, which he claimed had amassed more than 15 million followers on Instagram in just five days.

“I understand the youth’s frustration and I understand why they resonate with it,” he wrote, arguing that limiting the group’s account to X would be “disastrous and profoundly unwise.”

Tharoor shared notes from an interview with the Indian Express hours after CJP X’s account of over 200,000 followers was seized in India. CJP came up with another handle that has already crossed 100,000 followers in less than 24 hours.

Instagram handle CJP currently has more than 18 million followers.

“This is exactly why the suspension of X’s account is disastrous and profoundly unwise – there should be a space for young people to express their feelings, so keep the CJP account running instead of shutting it down,” Tharoor said, adding that a democracy must provide space for “dissent, humor, satire and even frustration.”

While unsure of the movement’s long-term future, the Congressman said he hopes the energy behind the CJP will eventually translate into democratic participation, whether through mainstream politics or the ballot.

“This is an opportunity that the opposition must seize,” he added, adding that established political parties should pay attention to the sentiments driving the viral online campaign.

The ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ emerged as a satirical digital collective following the controversy surrounding remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a recent hearing. Since then, the movement has gained significant traction across social media platforms, particularly among Gen Z users.

The NEET controversy is a tipping point

In an interview, Tharoor said the NEET series with the paper leak has become the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for many youngsters who are already struggling with unemployment, inflation and uncertainty about the future.

“Obviously NEET was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but then you also had, I think, general dissatisfaction with unemployment, limited opportunities in life, education, everything else, rising inflation and coping problems,” he said.

This is exactly why the suspension of X’s account is disastrous and deeply unwise – youth should be able to express their feelings.

Tharoor said CJP’s rise also showed how unconventional political news can quickly connect with young audiences online.

“By doing what he did, young Abhijeet Dipke, I think he also showed the way to the rest of us that there is an opportunity waiting to be taken,” he said.