‘Don’t Take It So Emotionally’: CJI Kant As Cockroach Janata Party Row Reaches Supreme Court
‘Don’t Take It So Emotionally’: Kant As Cockroach Janata Party Row Reaches Supreme Court Published By, Last Updated: May 25, 2026, 12:10 IST The controversy
‘Don’t Take It So Emotionally’: Kant As Cockroach Janata Party Row Reaches Supreme Court Published By, Last Updated: May 25, 2026, 12:10 IST The controversy erupted recently after Chief Justice allegedly described some young critics or Gen Z users as “cockroaches” and “parasites”, triggering online backlash. Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday asked a petitioner not to take the “Cockroach Janata Party" controversy “so emotionally" after a lawyer sought urgent listing of a plea linked to the issue. Advocate NK Goswami orally mentioned the matter before the court and argued that despite clarification from the Chief Justice, a “distorted and malicious narrative" was still being spread online.
Responding to the submission, the remarked, “Don’t take it so sentimentally." The controversy erupted recently after remarks in which the Chief Justice allegedly described some young critics or Gen Z users as “cockroaches" and “parasites", triggering a massive online backlash. However, later clarified that he was referring to persons with fake degrees. The issue soon snowballed into the viral “Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP), a satirical internet movement that rapidly transformed into a youth-driven protest-style online campaign. Launched last week, the movement gained extraordinary traction on social media. Its Instagram account reportedly crossed nearly 19 million followers within days, overtaking the combined Instagram following of the BJP and Congress official handles.
The online movement has used hashtags such as #MainBhiCockroach and circulated petitions linked to education ministry decisions, exam leak controversies and demands for accountability. What started as a meme-based online joke has now evolved into a visible expression of youth frustration over jobs, institutional trust and examination-related controversies. Another plea Another petition linked to the controversy was also mentioned before the Supreme Court for urgent listing. The plea sought directions to prevent the monetising of oral comments made inside the courtroom and also demanded a CBI investigation against alleged fake lawyers. However, the Chief Justice said there was no urgency in the matter and observed that the petition would be listed “in due course".
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