BellaCH at 16:59, 22 July 2026

2026-07-22T16:59:00Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian political communication strategist (born 1995)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Abhijeet Dipke
| image = Abhijeet-dipke.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1995|9|29}}<ref name="lokmat">{{cite web |title=Despite his viral success, Abhijeet's parents worry about his entry into politics |url=https://www.lokmattimes.com/aurangabad/despite-his-viral-success-abhijeets-parents-worry-about-his-entry-into-politics/ |website=Lokmat Times |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra]], India<ref name="tribune">{{cite web |title=Abhijeet Dipke — The 30-year-old behind Cockroach Janta Party's viral rise |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/trending/abhijeet-dipke-the-30-yr-old-behind-cockroach-janta-partys-viral-rise/ |website=The Tribune |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref>
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Political communication strategist<ref name="ndtv">{{cite web |title=Who Is Abhijeet Dipke, Founder Of Online Sensation Cockroach Janta Party |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cockroach-janta-party-who-is-abhijeet-dipke-founder-of-online-sensation-cockroach-janta-party-11531319 |website=NDTV |date=21 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref>
| years_active = 2020–present
| known_for = Founder of the [[Cockroach Janta Party]]<ref name="statesman">{{cite web |title=Cockroach Janata Party's X (Twitter) account withheld in India |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/cockroach-janata-party-x-twitter-account-withheld-india-abhijeet-dipke-instagram-hacking-1503596491.html |website=The Statesman |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref>
| notable_works =
| alma_mater = [[Boston University]] ([[MSc]])<ref name="etvbharat">{{cite web |title=Explained: Who Is Abhijeet Dipke, The Man Behind India's Most Unexpectedly Viral Political Satire? |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/en/lifestyle/abhijeet-dipke-started-cockroach-janata-party-cjp-enn26052101475 |website=ETV Bharat |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref>
| website =
}}

'''Abhijeet Dipke''' (born 29 September 1995) is an Indian political communication strategist and the founder of the [[Cockroach Janta Party]] (CJP),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Sanya |date=2026-05-21 |title=Who is Abhijeet Dipke, the Boston-educated founder of Cockroach Janata Party? |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/who-is-abhijeet-dipke-the-boston-educated-founder-of-cockroach-janata-party-101779346291274.html |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |language=en}}</ref> a satirical political movement that started in May 2026 after remarks made by [[Chief Justice of India]] [[Surya Kant]].<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |title=India has a new political superstar - a cockroach |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz72y11jjq1o |website=BBC News |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="aljazeera">{{cite web |title='Cockroach Janta Party': Top Indian judge's comment sparks satire, protest |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/5/20/cockroach-janata-party-top-indian-judges-comment-sparks-satire-protest |website=Al Jazeera |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref><ref name="ndtv"/>

== Early life and education ==

Abhijeet Dipke was born on 29 September 1995 in [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra|Aurangabad]] (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra.<ref name="lokmat"/><ref name="tribune"/> His father Bhagwanrao Dipke is a retired engineer from MIDC, and his mother Anita Dipke is a homemaker.<ref name="lokmat"/> He completed his primary education in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and later studied at S.B. College.<ref name="lokmat"/>

Dipke earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism in [[Pune]].<ref name="ndtv"/><ref name="tribune"/> His father had initially secured his admission in engineering through management quota, but Dipke did not appear for the first-year exams and later shifted to mass media.<ref name="lokmat"/> He then moved to the [[United States]] and completed a Master of Science in Public Relations from [[Boston University]].<ref name="etvbharat"/><ref name="bbc"/>

== Career ==

=== Work with Aam Aadmi Party ===
[[File:Abhijeet Dipke with Manish Sisodia.jpg|thumb|Abhijeet Dipke with Manish Sisodia]]
Between 2020 and 2023, Dipke worked as a volunteer with the [[Aam Aadmi Party]] (AAP) social media team.<ref name="ndtv"/><ref name="tribune"/> During the [[2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election]], which AAP won under [[Arvind Kejriwal]]'s leadership, he made meme-based digital content aimed at young voters.<ref name="ndtv"/><ref name="etvbharat"/> He also served as a communication advisor for the Delhi government's education department.<ref name="timesnow">{{cite web |title=Who Is Abhijeet Dipke: कोण आहेत 'कॉक्रोच जनता पार्टी'चे संस्थापक? |url=https://marathi.timesnownews.com/news/who-is-abhijeet-dipke-man-behind-cockroach-janta-party-overpassing-bjp-on-instagram-gen-z-digital-movement-article-154366512 |website=Times Now Marathi |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref> He left AAP in 2023 to study abroad.<ref name="etvbharat"/>

=== Cockroach Janta Party ===
{{Main|Cockroach Janta Party}}
On 15 May 2026, Chief Justice Surya Kant said during a [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] hearing: "There are youngsters like cockroaches, who do not get any employment or have any place in a profession. Some of them become media, some become social media, [[Right to Information Act, 2005|RTI]] activists, and they start attacking everyone."<ref name="aljazeera"/><ref name="statesman"/> The next day, Dipke posted on [[X (social network)|X]]: "What if all cockroaches come together?"<ref name="aljazeera"/> He then created the Cockroach Janta Party as a satirical online group, setting up a website and a Google Form for membership.<ref name="statesman"/><ref name="timesnow"/>

Within days, the party had over 350,000 registered members.<ref name="aljazeera"/> By 21 May 2026, the CJP's Instagram account had crossed 19 million followers, more than any other political party in India.<ref name="ndtv"/><ref name="tribuneindia">{{cite web |title=Cockroach Janta Party founder Dipke's parents averse to son's 'pursuit of politics' |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/cockroach-janta-party-founder-dipkes-parents-averse-to-sons-pursuit-of-politics/ |website=The Tribune |date=21 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref> The party's X account, which had over 200,000 followers, was later withheld in India "in response to a legal demand."<ref name="statesman"/><ref name="bbc"/> Dipke responded to this on X, calling it an "own goal."<ref name="statesman"/>

Dipke also claimed that attempts were made to hack the party's Instagram account. In a video message, he said: "Many attempts are being made to hack our account. I find it funny that these cowards are targeting young 20-21-year-old students."<ref name="statesman"/>

In an interview with ''India Today'', Dipke said: "Someone who is there to safeguard our freedom of expression is comparing us with cockroaches and parasites for just putting up our opinion."<ref name="indiatoday">{{cite web |title=Meet the man behind Cockroach Janta Party |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/video/meet-the-man-behind-the-cockroach-janta-party-2914598-2026-05-20 |website=India Today |date=20 May 2026 |access-date=22 May 2026}}</ref>

In an interview with ''Al Jazeera'', Dipke explained why he picked the cockroach as a symbol: "Those in power think citizens are cockroaches and parasites. They should know that cockroaches breed in rotten places. That's what India is today."<ref name="aljazeera"/>

=== Parents' concerns ===

Following the rapid rise of the Cockroach Janta Party, Dipke's parents expressed concerns about his entry into politics. His mother Anita Dipke told a Marathi news channel that they had lost sleep after learning about his move. His father Bhagwanrao said he wanted his son to take up a job in Pune or Delhi instead of entering politics.<ref name="tribuneindia"/><ref name="lokmat"/> His mother also stated: "He has been rebellious since childhood. Once he decides something, he goes ahead and does it. That is what worries us the most."<ref name="lokmat"/>

== Political positions ==

Dipke has called the Cockroach Janta Party a "platform" for young Indians who feel left out of mainstream politics.<ref name="bbc"/> The party's manifesto includes demands for a ban on post-retirement Rajya Sabha seats for Chief Justices, 50 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and Cabinet, and cancellation of licenses for media houses owned by the [[Adani Group]] and [[Reliance Industries]].<ref name="aljazeera"/>

== Legal proceedings ==

In May 2026, Dipke filed a petition before the Delhi High Court challenging the Central Government's order directing X to withhold access to the Cockroach Janta Party's account under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The petition argued that the blocking order was unlawful and sought restoration of the account. The Delhi High Court issued notice on the plea and directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's Review Committee to examine the blocking order, while declining to grant interim relief.<ref name="quint">{{cite news |last=Varma |first=Aishwarya |title=Founded in Satire, Attacked by Lies: Debunking the Narratives Targeting CJP |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/cockroach-janta-party-narratives-misinformation-protests |work=The Quint |date=12 June 2026 |access-date=2026-07-22}}</ref><ref name="livelaw">{{cite web |title=Delhi High Court Directs MeiTY's Review Committee To Examine Abhijeet Dipke's Plea For Unblocking Cockroach Janta Party's X Account |url=https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/delhi-high-court/delhi-high-court-issues-notice-on-abhijeet-dipkes-plea-against-blocking-of-cockroach-janta-partys-x-account-536099 |work=Live Law |date=29 May 2026 |access-date=2026-07-22}}</ref>

Separately, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Allahabad High Court by Karnataka BJP worker S. Vignesh Shishir seeking an investigation by agencies including the National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate into Dipke and the Cockroach Janta Party. The petition alleged that the organisation was conducting an "engineered digital campaign" affecting public order and sought the blocking of its social media accounts. The petition also requested investigations under several security-related laws. The allegations reflected the petitioner's claims and had not been adjudicated by the court.<ref name="siasat">{{cite news |title=Plea in HC claims Cockroach Janta Party founder waging war against Centre |url=https://www.siasat.com/plea-in-hc-claims-cockroach-janta-party-founder-waging-war-against-centre-3479130/ |work=The Siasat Daily |date=29 May 2026 |access-date=2026-07-22}}</ref><ref name="lawchakra">{{cite news |title=Existential Threat To India's Stability: Plea In Allahabad High Court Seeks Action Against Cockroach Janta Party Founder Abhijeet Dipke |url=https://lawchakra.in/high-court/cockroach-janta-party-abhijeet-dipke/ |work=Law Chakra |date=1 June 2026 |access-date=2026-07-22}}</ref>

=== 2019 complaint ===
[[File:Abhijeet Dipke Tweets on Kashmir.jpg|thumb|Screenshot of a tweet posted by Abhijeet Dipke on 5 August 2019 regarding Kashmir and Article 370. The tweet was later deleted from his X (formerly Twitter) account.]]

In August 2019, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), a legal advocacy organisation, submitted a complaint to Pune Police against Abhijeet Dipke over a series of social media posts published following the Government of India's decision to abrogate Article 370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The complaint alleged that Dipke's posts promoted narratives sympathetic to Kashmiri separatists and sought legal action under various provisions of Indian law. It requested that Pune Police register a criminal case and investigate the matter.<ref name="statesman"/><ref name="jaipur"/>

The complaint cited several posts in which Dipke commented on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the constitutional changes. It alleged that the posts spread misinformation, encouraged separatist sentiment, and were prejudicial to India's sovereignty and integrity. It further sought investigation under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and other laws relating to national security.<ref name="jaipur"/> One of the posts referenced in the complaint was a tweet published by Dipke on 5 August 2019 stating, ''"Need to stand with #Kashmir. Today its Kashmir, tomorrow it can be your state."'' The tweet was later deleted from his X (formerly Twitter) account.<ref name="statesman"/>

In interviews given in 2026, Vinay Joshi of the Legal Rights Observatory stated that despite repeated follow-ups with Pune Police over several years, he was not aware of any FIR having been registered in connection with the complaint. ''The Statesman'' reported that it contacted Dipke for comment but had not received a response.<ref name="statesman"/>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{Twitter|abhijeet_dipke|Abhijeet Dipke}}

[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1995 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Boston University College of Communication alumni]]
[[Category:Indian expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:People from Aurangabad]]
[[Category:Politicians from Marathwada]]
[[Category:Political consultants]]

Abhijeet Dipke - Revision history

BellaCH at 16:59, 22 July 2026