New Delhi: The founder of India’s viral Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, arrived in the capital on Saturday to lead a protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, marking the movement’s first major shift from online activism to street demonstrations.
According to reports, Dipke, 30, who has been based in the United States for the past two years, reached New Delhi ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar, where supporters gathered demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in national examinations and broader education-related grievances.
Heavy police deployment was seen around the protest site, with barricades erected and security tightened in central Delhi. Protesters reportedly raised slogans calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The CJP, which has rapidly gained a large youth following on social media, has positioned itself as a satirical yet politically active movement highlighting issues such as unemployment, exam leaks, and governance concerns.
Authorities have previously restricted the group’s online presence, including blocking its account in India, a move the organisation has challenged legally.
Police have maintained a security perimeter around the demonstration area as the protest proceeds under tight monitoring.
The development marks the first physical mobilisation by the online movement, which has gained national attention in recent weeks.