'Democracies need outlets for dissent': Shashi Tharoor backs Cockroach Janta Party after X account withheld

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor came out in support of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), questioning the withholding of its X account and calling it "disastrous and deeply unwise."

"I'm incredibly intrigued by the rise of #CockroachJantaParty, which has already reached more than 15 million (now over 19 million) followers on Instagram in just five days," Tharoor posted on X.

The CJP's X account, which had over two lakh followers, was withheld in India following a legal demand on Wednesday. Founder Abhijeet Dipke confirmed the suspension, writing: "As expected Cockroach Janta Party's account has been withheld in India." Within hours, the group launched a new account titled "Cockroach is Back," posting: "You thought you could get rid of us? Lol."



Tharoor said he understood the frustrations of the youth and saw why they were resonating with the satirical movement.

"This is precisely why the account being withheld on X is disastrous and deeply unwise — there should be an outlet for the youth to express their feelings and so, let CJP's account function instead of shutting it down!" he wrote.

"Democracies need outlets for dissent, humour, satire and even frustration," he added.

While Tharoor said he was uncertain about the future of the movement, he hoped that the youngsters behind it would find a way to bring their energy into mainstream politics.

"This is an opportunity that the Opposition must seize," the Congress MP wrote, suggesting that political parties take note of the viral trend and work on bringing the youth towards them.

Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda also called the withholding of the CJP's X account a "cockroach ban," saying it was "completely inappropriate in a democracy." He added that the movement reflects the deep-seated anger among the youth against a "flawed system" created by the BJP.

The CJP emerged earlier this month after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's controversial remarks during a court hearing, in which he reportedly compared some unemployed youth to "cockroaches" and "parasites." The CJI later issued a clarification, saying his comments were aimed at people using "fake and bogus degrees" and that reports claiming he insulted India's youth were "totally baseless."

But by then, the Cockroach Janta Party had already turned the controversy into an internet movement, garnering over 19.5 million followers on Instagram.

The satirical outfit describes itself as "a political party for the lazy, the unemployed, and the chronically correct," with its headquarters "wherever the wifi works." Its manifesto includes demands such as a ban on post-retirement Rajya Sabha seats for chief justices, a 20-year election ban for defecting MLAs and MPs, and 50 per cent reservation for women in Parliament.