CJP proves Gen Z is ready to stand up for their communities

Bengaluru, 

The social media movement ‘Cock roach Janta Party’ (CJP), which began as a satirical online page and rapidly amassed over 22.4 million followers on its Instagram account, took its activism from the digital space to the streets on June 6. Supporters gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for a protest following the arrival of CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke in India. As the movement gained nationwide attention and widespread public support, it has also faced growing scrutiny.

To understand public sentiment, News Trail spoke to several Gen Z residents in Bengaluru, who shared a range of opinions on the movement, reflecting both enthusiasm and scepticism about its future direction.

"I personally do not like cockroaches in my home. As for the ‘movement’ or ‘revolution’, we'll see when there is one; so far, I just see hashtags and AI slop from a frustrated bourgeois youth that knows nothing about politics or how the subcontinental society functions." said Kartikeyan Sardari, Student - MA in Multimedia Journalism. 

"We need a movement grounded in serious engagement with systemic issues, not one driven primarily by sarcasm or collective venting. Such venting can be useful at the stage of political education, helping people recognise shared frustrations, but it cannot substitute for meaningful mobilisation. Frustration alone risks becoming an end in itself rather than a force for change." -Kripaanjali, Student - M.Sc in Educational Psychology. 

"Liberals of the world, unite!’, I saw on a meme with a picture of Karl Marx. This was in reference to the new Claude-AI-backed outfit of previously apolitical elites who have now discovered a higher calling - to come together and join hands (with very specific communities), to unite as a singular political front…to sign a petition. In any case, having hope gets tough in 2026 India, and this outfit is further becoming a cause of depression because they refuse to read a book but want to participate in their little Instagram Mock Parliament." said Yatharth Sardari, Student - BA in English Literature.

Ryan Fernandes, Student - MA in International Studies said, "They should remain as a pressure group rather than a party. The issues they raised have been relevant due to the recent NEET and CBSE results controversies. So they should continue raising issues that affect the public since they have a better social media hold than other traditional parties." 

Many have questioned whether the campaign has been sufficiently inclusive and has adequately addressed grass roots concerns affecting ordinary citizens. Some argue that the movement has focused primarily on broad, high visibility issues while over looking challenges faced at the local level. With debates around its long-term impact continuing, questions are being raised about whether the CJP can sustain its momentum and expand its focus beyond headline issues.