Mock cockroach-theme political party draws India’s jobless youth, Modi’s rivals

AdvertisementIndiaAsiaSouth AsiaMock cockroach-theme political party draws India’s jobless youth, Modi’s rivals

The party was launched after India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant referred to some unemployed youngsters as ‘parasites’ and ‘cockroaches’

3-MIN READ3-MIN

BloombergPublished: 10:59am, 23 May 2026

A mock political party erupted across Indian social media this week, becoming a symbol of Gen Z disillusionment with the country’s political establishment and anger over a worsening jobs crisis in the world’s most populous nation.

The Cockroach Janta Party, as the satirical movement is known, has already overtaken the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Instagram, racking up nearly 20 million followers and attracting attention from rivals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Cockroach Janta Party [CJP] is India’s most honest political party for the lazy, unemployed and forgotten citizens,” the spoof party said on its website. It said it was “given a voice to millions of young Indians who feel neglected by traditional politics”.

AdvertisementThe party was launched on May 16 after India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant referred to some unemployed youngsters as “parasites” and “cockroaches” during a courtroom hearing, sparking backlash from social media users online. Kant, India’s most senior judge, later said he had been misquoted by sections of the media.

The clarification did little to slow the movement’s momentum on social media, with political analysts saying its popularity reflects growing Gen Z resentment with the Modi government’s inability to create enough employment opportunities for the young.

Advertisement

India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, but it is still not expanding quickly enough to generate jobs for the millions of young people entering the workforce each year, including college graduates.

AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x