India’s viral Cockroach Janta Party account has faced alleged hacking, threats and platform restrictions after drawing millions of young followers critical of unemployment and exam paper leaks.
Founder Abhijeet Dipke said on X that the group’s website had been taken down, its X account had been withheld in India, and its Instagram account had been compromised. Reuters could not independently verify his claim of a government takedown, and India’s home and information technology ministries did not respond to requests for comment.
X said the CJP account was withheld in India in response to a legal demand, according to Indian media reports. Hindustan Times reported that Dipke later said the Instagram account had been hacked and that a backup account had also been taken down.
The account grew rapidly by using satire to highlight concerns among younger Indians. CJP gained more than 22 million Instagram followers within days, while earlier Indian reports placed the count near 13 million when the X restriction emerged.
Digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation criticised the alleged blocking as an arbitrary curb on free speech. Federal minister Kiren Rijiju, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, said on X that he had faith in Indian democracy and youth, without naming CJP.
A CVoter survey found that more than 60% of respondents aged 18 to 24 felt anxious about their future. Six in 10 respondents said the account reflected frustration over unemployment and governance issues, including exam paper leaks.
