New Delhi: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has come under casteist attacks on social media after revealing that he belongs to the Dalit community in a post on X on Thursday.

Dipke, an Indian student studying public relations at Boston University in the US, launched the parody political outfit last week following remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. During a court hearing, the CJI had allegedly referred to unemployed youth as “cockroaches” and “parasites”, though he later clarified that his comments were misquoted by the media.

Social Media Movement Gains Massive Attention

The controversy triggered widespread online discussions, prompting Dipke to urge people to reclaim the “cockroach” label as a form of protest. What began as satire soon evolved into a viral online political movement.

Lakhs of people reportedly registered on the party’s website, while its Instagram following crossed 16 million. The party’s X account was later withheld in India as its popularity continued to rise.

As the movement gained traction, Dipke released a manifesto and even launched a party anthem. Several political figures, including Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, publicly expressed support for the initiative.

Questions Raised Over Dalit Representation

At the same time, some users questioned whether the Cockroach Janta Party would remain a parody movement or eventually take political shape.

A social media user named “Shut Up Counsel” also questioned the party’s silence on reservation and Dalit-related issues.

“But there is an important thing that you haven’t answered so far — saying anything on the issue of reservation nor voicing out your support for Dalit causes and social justice,” the user wrote.

Responding to the query, Dipke said, “I am a Dalit myself. I hope that will answer all your questions.”

Casteist Remarks Spark Backlash Online

Soon after his post, Dipke became the target of casteist trolling on X.

Mumbai-based writer and director Anuraadha Tewari wrote, “So the self-proclaimed Gen Z leader is against merit.” Another user commented, “Aa gaya D card.”

Some accounts also shared abusive and derogatory content targeting Dipke’s caste identity.

However, several users came out in support of Dipke and condemned the online abuse. One account, “Laalsalan”, wrote, “The amount of hate UCs harbour for Dalits is disgusting.”