Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the government’s decision to block the party’s X account, website, and backup X account under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, according to medianama.com. The blocking occurred within ten days of the party’s launch in mid-May.
The sequence began on May 16, when Dipke launched cockroachjantaparty.org and the X account @CJP_2029. The party’s Instagram account rapidly gained followers, surpassing the BJP’s 8.7 million within four days and reaching 22.8 million by May 26. The website recorded 1 million membership signups and 600,000 petition signatures demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. On May 21, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to withhold the @CJP_2029 account under Section 69A, citing concerns related to the content.
This development follows Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s remarks on May 15 comparing some unemployed youth to “cockroaches” and “parasites of society,” which sparked controversy. The rapid growth of the CJP’s online presence and the government’s swift blocking highlight tensions around digital political expression and platform regulation in India. The case underscores the challenges of balancing free speech and regulatory oversight in the digital age.
The Delhi High Court petition filed by Dipke seeks to overturn the blocking orders. Observers will watch closely for the court’s response and any rulings that could set precedents for digital political activism and government intervention. The outcome may influence future government actions on social media content and platform accountability in India.