All posts tagged: Janata

India’s ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ began as a joke. Then millions joined in.

India’s ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ began as a joke. Then millions joined in.

What began as an internet punchline is turning into something more serious. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Indians online are rallying around the Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP — a parody political movement that started as online satire but has rapidly become a vehicle for venting anger over unemployment, corruption and the state of India’s democracy. The movement, a cheeky riff on the name of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has flooded social media with memes, mock campaign messaging and jokes carrying an edge of public frustration. “We have to understand that five years ago nobody was ready to speak up against Modi or the government,” said CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke. “The times are changing.” Founded last month, the movement’s rise traces back to comments made by Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant, who compared some young people and critics of institutions to “cockroaches” and “parasites.” “There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any …