The Instagram accounts of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, have been hacked, while the backup account has been taken down from the social media platform as of Saturday, May 23.
On May 21, the satirical digital outfit’s Twitter handle was withheld in India and within two days, its official website was taken down. Its founder, described as “iconic,” indicates that rising dissent from among India’s youth has begun to come under government crackdown.
According to Dipke, the CJP’s Twitter account was withheld in India while he was giving an interview to the BBC. Since its Instagram has been hacked, Dipke has clarified that any posts made after the announcement should not be considered official statements from the CJP.
Dipke, who had called for the resignation of the Education Minister, insisted that action should have been taken against the official for the paper leak. However, “in New India, action is being taken against the Cockroach Janta Party for demanding accountability,” he said.
The satirical outfit was born following a controversy over Chief Justice of India Surya Kant using the terms “parasites” and “cockroaches” while describing the unemployed youth of the country.
The CJI later clarified that he was misquoted and his remarks were directed specifically at individuals entering the legal profession through “fake and bogus degrees.”
The account, which came into being a day after the CJI’s remarks on May 15, quickly went viral, attracting support from politicians, activists, artists, and a large number of young and not-so-young social media users.
Even when its Twitter handle was withheld, it immediately launched another handle, “Cockroach is Back,” with the tagline “Cockroaches Don’t Die.” Its official Instagram account gained over 20 million followers, surpassing the 8.8 million of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
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