Viral Indian youth movement Cockroach Janta Party hits Delhi streets for first protest

Hundreds of supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), an online joke that drew millions across India, gathered for the first time in the national capital on Saturday, taking the social media movement off screens and into its biggest real-world test yet.

The protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi marks the movement’s first foray into street politics after weeks of dominating social media feeds and news headlines, attracting millions of online followers and widespread support among young Indians.

Hundreds of mostly young Indians gathered in the heart of New Delhi’s protest zone near parliament, some with placards and cockroach masks.

How many ultimately would join remained unclear, making the event an early test of whether the movement can channel its online popularity into a broader grass roots support around growing frustration among young Indians over education, jobs and economic prospects.

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the online movement, arrived in the capital from the US on Saturday to participate in the protest. Police laid steel barricades at arrivals at New Delhi’s international airport.

Dipke said in a social media post that police granted permission to CJP to hold the protest, saying: “Cockroaches gather at Jantar Mantar.”