NEW DELHI: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has dismissed claims from leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that nearly half of his party’s social media followers are located in Pakistan. The CJP, an internet-based movement that has gained rapid popularity, particularly among young users, has recently sparked political controversy with its viral content focused on issues such as unemployment, educational policy, and examination paper leaks.
Dipke refuted the BJP’s allegations by sharing a screenshot of audience analytics on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, asserting that “more than 94% of the audience is from India.” He further questioned Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s label of Indian youth as being associated with Pakistan, stating, “Why is a Union minister labelling Indian youth as Pakistani?”
Rijiju had made remarks targeting the CJP in a post expressing pity for those seeking social media followers from Pakistan and referencing the “George Soros gang.” In addition, BJP leader and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar alleged, “49 percent of followers of ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ on social media are from Pakistan, while only 9 percent are from India.”
These comments emerged amid a growing controversy surrounding the CJP’s digital campaign, which gained considerable traction last week. Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused the CJP of being involved in a “classic cross-border influence operation” designed to destabilize India and undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.
“In the age of social media, bots, AI, and its weaponization, influence operations are dangerous, effective ways to destabilize by building fake, seemingly organic narratives,” wrote Chandrasekhar in a post on X. He suggested that some opposition factions were amplifying the campaign and indicated that India’s ascent under Modi had provoked dissatisfaction among “foreign vested interests.”
Chandrasekhar reiterated that India’s modernization under PM Modi would invite resentment from other nations, suggesting that obstacles would be erected to hinder the country’s progress. He affirmed the Modi government’s performance during global crises, emphasizing, “No cockroach, no petty Indian opposition politician, no Modi-hating joker, no foreign vested interest can stop India’s resolve to build a Viksit Bharat.”
The term ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ gained traction following remarks allegedly made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a hearing on a plea regarding the senior designation of a lawyer. Dipke has claimed that the campaign has faced coordinated actions across various social media platforms.
