The Cockroach-ing of Abhijeet Dipke

“Hello everyone, I have decided to come back to India.” — Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party.

That announcement recently landed on my screen, and within minutes social media had done what social media does best: amplify, celebrate, and speculate. The Cockroach Janta Party itself began as a satirical social media experiment. Yet, like many modern internet phenomena, it now appears to be flirting with the idea of becoming something more serious. Whether it remains satire or evolves into a genuine political movement is a question for another day.

What interests me is not the party. It is the audience. More specifically, it is the growing number of young Indians who find themselves drawn towards anti-establishment narratives, disruptive political messaging, and online personalities who position themselves as challengers to the system.

The Anti-System Narrative

While the Chief Justice’s use of the term “cockroaches” was pungent, offensive, and arguably inappropriate, most young people were not seeking outrage or sympathy. Their message was much simpler: “Stop calling us lazy, entitled, or irresponsible. Listen to why we are frustrated.” Unfortunately, that sentiment was quickly overshadowed by political opportunism. What began as a genuine expression of generational discontent over economic pressures, uncertain futures, and declining trust in institutions was effectively appropriated by political strategist Abhijeet Dipke, who transformed a youth grievance into a political brand. In the process, the conversation shifted from understanding the frustrations of a generation to amplifying the ambitions of a personality. He studied in the United States, earned a master’s degree, benefited from the opportunities available through the American education system, but Daddy Trump would not allow a self-proclaimed Cockroach Monk to breed in Boston Gutters and hence the return to his hybrid home-turf of organic and inorganic followers. A student becomes a spokesperson. A content creator for an Indian political party becomes a movement. A satirical idea becomes a banner under which frustration gathers. The internet rewards narratives, not nuance. And frustration is one of the most powerful narratives of all.

Understanding Gen Z’s Attraction to Anti-Establishment Ideas

Before anyone gets offended, this is not an attack on Gen Z. Far from it. Gen Z is perhaps the most globally connected generation in history. They have unprecedented access to information, cultures, ideas, and opportunities. They are technologically fluent, socially aware, and often more informed about global affairs than previous generations were at the same age. Yet there is another side to this hyper-connectivity. Many young people are experiencing: corruption and governance failures, lack of political alternatives, bureaucratic inefficiency, and political opportunism. When expectations rise faster than opportunities, frustration follows. And frustration is fertile ground for political influence.

The Invisible Manipulation

Political manipulation is rarely obvious. Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become radicalized, politically conditioned, or emotionally dependent on a movement. It happens gradually. A video appears on a feed. Then another. Then a creator explains why “everything is broken.” Then a community forms around that belief. Soon the algorithm begins delivering only content that reinforces the same worldview. The individual begins to mistake repetition for truth. This is not unique to any ideology. It occurs across the political spectrum.

The Isolation Formula

One of the oldest influence techniques in human history is isolation. Not physical isolation. Psychological isolation. The process often follows a familiar pattern: Convince people that existing institutions cannot be trusted; Portray all establishment incumbents as corrupt, dishonest, or hostile; Present the movement as the only source of truth; Encourage emotional dependence on the group; Rope in unpolitical sincere voices and faces; and Reinforce identity through constant validation.

Once this cycle begins, facts become secondary. Belonging becomes primary. The person is no longer evaluating information. They are defending identity.

Why We Should Be Concerned?

The concern is not that young people are questioning authority. Questioning authority is healthy. Democracy requires it. The concern is when skepticism evolves into cynicism. When every institution becomes evil. When every opposing view becomes propaganda. When every disagreement becomes proof of conspiracy. At that point, critical thinking has not expanded. It has merely changed masters.

The Cockroach-ing Effect

The Cockroach Janta Party may remain a social media curiosity, a satirical experiment, or perhaps evolve into something larger. That remains to be seen. The more important question is not whether the movement succeeds, but why it resonates at all. When large numbers of young people feel unheard, disconnected, frustrated, or disillusioned with traditional political narratives, they naturally gravitate towards voices that appear disruptive, unconventional, and anti-establishment.

I am not approaching this from a pro-BJP or anti-BJP perspective. Nor is this about choosing one political camp over another. What is evident, however, is the growing ability of figures like Dipke to tap into public frustration with existing systems and convert that sentiment into political energy. In many ways, it highlights how people can be influenced by politicians, religious leaders, media personalities, and social movements without fully recognising the subtle forces shaping their opinions. Often, what drives our beliefs and reactions operates beneath the surface, shaping our views far more than we realise.

Personally, I find myself instinctively sceptical of leaders whose public image appears more performative than substantive. Dipke’s deliberately dishevelled appearance, unkempt hair, and reliance on scripted speeches that rarely allow him to engage spontaneously do little to inspire confidence. There is a fine line between authenticity and carefully curated anti-establishment branding, and I am not entirely convinced on which side of that line he stands.

What I find more disappointing, however, is the willingness of otherwise revered, well-meaning, and politically unmotivated influencers to associate themselves with such movements. Many of these individuals have built their reputations through genuine expertise, creativity, or social contribution rather than political activism. History repeatedly shows that political movements often gain momentum not because of the strength of their ideas alone, but because respected voices help normalise them. Whether the Cockroach Janta Party ultimately becomes a footnote, a protest movement, or a serious political force, its rise offers an important lesson: people are rarely influenced by politicians alone. More often, they are persuaded by the people they trust. And the real story is not the Cockroach Janta Party, but the cockroaching of Abhijeet Dipke.