India tightens security ahead of Cockroach Janta Party protest in Delhi

Indian police tightened security across New Delhi on Saturday ahead of a protest by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, a youth movement demanding accountability over alleged exam irregularities.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke arrived in the capital from the United States that morning to lead the demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

What is the Cockroach Janta Party and why is it protesting?

The Cockroach Janta Party is a satirical youth movement that has amassed more than 22 million Instagram followers since launching last month. It takes its name from remarks by India's Chief Justice Surya Kant, who reportedly likened government critics to "cockroaches" and "parasites" during a court hearing. Kant later said his comments were taken out of context.

The CJP is a play on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party and uses the slogan "a political front for the youth, by the youth, for the youth." Founder Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Boston University graduate and former political communications strategist for the opposition Aam Aadmi Party, has called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Pradhan has faced criticism over exam irregularities including paper leaks and technical glitches.

How has the Indian government responded to the CJP?

India tightly regulates social media content, and several CJP handles have been blocked. Its Instagram account remains accessible in India, however, and has outpaced both the BJP's nine million followers and the main opposition Congress Party's 13 million on the same platform. The movement's rapid growth has drawn direct government pushback and heavy security deployments.

On Saturday, steel barricades were set up at key points around Jantar Mantar and at the airport. Riot control vehicles and detention vans were also deployed, according to AFP journalists on the ground. Dipke wrote on social media ahead of his arrival: "We have to lead this movement with love and peace."

What is driving youth anger in India?

The CJP's protest centers on alleged irregularities in major national examinations, which critics say are derailing the careers of millions of young people.

Despite rapid economic growth, millions of Indians still struggle to find stable, well-paying jobs. Dipke said this week that the future of India's youth was "getting ruined."