The Supreme Court refused an urgent hearing on petitions linked to the viral Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asking lawyers not to react “so sentimentally” over the issue. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and VM Pancholi, said there was “no such grave urgency” in the matter and that the pleas would be heard later in the normal course.
Lawyers Raise Concerns Over Online Campaign
The remarks came after advocates mentioned two PILs before the court. One petition sought action against the alleged commercial use of courtroom observations, while another demanded a CBI probe into activities linked to the satirical Cockroach Janta Party campaign. During the hearing, advocate NK Goswami argued that the online movement was damaging the image of the judiciary. Responding to this, the CJI said, “Don’t take it so sentimentally.”
PILs Focus on Fake Degrees and Viral Satire
One of the PILs, filed by advocate Raja Choudhary, sought a CBI investigation into alleged fake advocates and fraudulent law degrees. The plea also requested action against the monetised circulation of oral observations made during recent Supreme Court hearings. Another petition specifically targeted the Cockroach Janta Party, which has gone viral on social media over the past week.
Controversy Began After Courtroom Remarks
The controversy began after oral remarks by the CJI during a hearing on fake law degrees and senior advocate designations. During the proceedings, the CJI criticised what he described as attacks on institutions and referred to “parasites of society.” He also said that some unemployed youth become “like cockroaches” while attacking institutions through media, social media activism, and RTI campaigns.
The comments quickly sparked backlash online, with many social media users accusing the judiciary of insulting unemployed youth.
Later, the CJI clarified that his remarks were being “misquoted” and were aimed at people entering professions using fake degrees, not unemployed youth in general.
How Cockroach Janta Party Went Viral
The Cockroach Janta Party, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, describes itself as the “Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed” and openly calls itself a satire movement.
Within days, the group gained millions of followers on Instagram and became one of India’s biggest online political trends. The campaign uses humour, memes, exaggerated slogans, and satire focused on unemployment, inflation, and governance issues.
Main Demands of the Movement
The movement’s manifesto includes several demands, such as:
- No post-retirement Rajya Sabha seats for Chief Justices
- Electoral reforms and action against deleted votes
- More representation for women
- Stronger action against misinformation
- Longer bans for legislators who switch political parties
